
THeKinadf 
SoUBmaers 



How-When-Where to Grow It 



liVa»li(4>1(l]i*<' 



How It Builds Up Sandy Soil 

How Its Humus Feeds Orchards 

How It Helps All Other Crops 

How It Must Be Inoculated 

How It Saves Fertilizer Bills 

All This and More 



REAT $ CASH MONEY Cit 



READ EVERY WORD ON THIS PAGE 

A Brand New Idea in Books for the Farm. 

Ten Crop Books — the very first of their kind. 

Every one a gold-mine of information. 

Every one packed _/&// of money-saving, money-making plans. 

Every one practical, dtrect-tO'ihe-poini, simple and readable. 

Any one or more of these books will be sent postpaid on reeeipt of prices listed. 
Address Galloway Brothers — Bowtaan Company, Waterloo, Iowa, U.* S. A. 

ALFALFA — '*How to Grow Alfalfa the Wonder Crop*' 2 5 CenU 

This book shows some astounding facts and figures regarding Alfalfa— It tells how it 
can be grown on practically every farm in the United States— It treats briefly and 
concisely of drainage— Testing soil for acidity— Liming— Preparation of the seed 
bed— lime of seeding— Amount of seed to sow— Method of seeding— Use as cover 
crops— How to inoculate— Care of growing crops— Harvesting Alfalfa for seed— Things 
to do and things not to do— How to avoid Alfalfa failures. 

CLOVERS —"Clover The Great $ Cash Money $ Crop** 3S Cents 

Sixteen varieties are treated fully— Kind of soil require'd for clover— Treatment of 
growing crops— Harvesting for hay— Care of hay— Rotation— Bloat— Clover troubles 
and how to avoid them — Value of inoculation— Preventing loss from (i) Heat and 
drought, (2) Winter killing, (3) Ground-heaving- "Clover sickness" — The book is 
fully illustrated and contains facts and figures galore — Many valuable suggestions for 
every practical farmer. 

SOY BEANS and COWPEIAS —"The Twin Soil-Makerrf» 20 CenU 

The rapid spread of these excellent forage crops— Compared as to merits — As covef 
crops — ^As green manure crops — For the silo — As soil enrichers — In rotation — Wide 
adaptability — As to soil and climate — As crops grown in mixtures — Farmers East, 
Westi North or Kouth will be glad to learn more about these crops. 

CORN — **How to Get 1 OO Bushels of Com from An Acr^* 1 6 Cents 

No empty corn crib tor the farmer who follows the hints this book gives — Some 
brand new ideas in growing this king of money crops— How to build up poor soils so 
they will produce bumper crops — Pointers from the standpoint of scientific facts as 
well as the actual experience of practical growers — Feeding the soil with organic 
matter— Inoculated legumes for green manuring corn land — No theories, just good, 
cold facts presented in simple understandable form, so that every up-to-date farmer 
can and will make practical use of what he reads. 

VETCH— **The King of Soil Builders'* 25 Cents 

This book fully describes the merits of this crop new to America— As a soil improver 
and cover crop — On corn lands— On potato land— On tobacco fields — In orchards — 
Its feeding value — Inoculated and uninoculated Vetch — Building up run out soils 
and reclaiming new barren sandy soils — Seeding— Harvesting— Vetch as a nitrogen- 
gathering crop — Cirown with the grains. 

PEAS and BEANS— **Two $ Cash Money $ Crops** 85 Cents 

Where peas can be grown with profit — Soils— How and when to plant— Value as Feed 
for stock — Harvesting the crop — Enemies and How to Fight Them — ^A sure market — 
Varieties — Uses on the farm — Inoculation of peas and beans and their value as soil 
builders. 

POTATOES —"How to Grow More and Better Potatoes** 1 5 CenU 

Profits made in potato g^rowing — Methods of planting and preparing soil that will 
bring increased yields— Green manures for potato land — Figures showing increase 
due to green manure system. 

COTTON —"Relieving the Cotton Calamity** 18 CenU 

This book explains a method by which money now spent for commercial fertilizers 
goes into the pockets of the grower— Permanent cotton culture— The value ©f humus 
in the soil of cotton lands — How to increase humus — Green manuring — Growing cot- 
ton on same land year after year and at profit — How healthful conditions of soil may 
be secured, yield and quality improved, and cost of production lowered to a mini- 
mum— Tha cotton grower cannot afford to be without the information which Is con- 
tained in this book. 

ORCHARDS — **Cover and Shade Crops for Orchards** 1 5 Cents 

Methods of managing soils to insure the future of orchards— Soil mulch system- 
Continuous clean culture system— Cover crop system— Prevention of soil washing- 
benefits of green manures— increasing humus in soils— Improving soil in texture, 
drainage, ventilation, water holding capacity— Use of commercial fertilizers— Kinds of 
cover crops to use— Orchards of Eastern and Northern states— Orchards of Southern 
and Western states. 
TOBACCO — **Fertilizing the Tobacco Field** 1 CenU 

A plan clearly showing how tobacco land can be fertilized more effectively, with less 
labor, and at less cost than by methods now in common use. — The grower is shown 
now to keep his soil productive while cropping tobacco from the same land year 
after year-How to increase the yield and improve the quality of tobacco. 



VETCH 



"The King of Soil Builders" 



By W. H. Matchette 



Price 25 cents 



Published by 

The Galloway Bros.- Bowman Co. 

Waterloo, Iowa 

Ccpyright, 1913, by German- American " NUragin" Co., Milwaukee, Wis. 



9B ^t,5 




©Ci,A346620 




VETCH 

The King of Soil 
Builders 



DID you ever read the "Arabian Nights"? 
Did you ever read the story of "Aladdin's Lamp"? , 

Now these stories, of course, are fables and sound like great ex- 
aggerations, but — 

I want you to read this book on Vetch, because when you sit down, 
take a pencil and figure out what this King of Soil Builders, Vetch, will 
do for land that you want to build up, for any old, cropped out, de- 
pleted soil, or for any unprofitable, sandy soil, it will almost make you 
say that it sounds like a story in the "Arabian Nights", 

If you have any thin, cold, dry, hungry soil, which you want turned 
into warm, moist, fertile soil, rich in humus and nitrogen, you should 
carefully read and study this book twice. 

It will tell you about Vetch, the wonderful Green IManure Crop. 
How it makes a greater growth of vegetable matter, than almost any 
other crop, and at the same time steals more free nitrogen from the 
air than an^^ other farm legume. This book also tells how Vetch in- 
creases the yield of corn, potatoes, cotton, tobacco and the grain crops. 

Imagine for example, a corn crop that takes out $35 worth of nitro- 
gen an acre. This can be replaced by simply sowing vetch between the 
rows at the last cultivation, which will give you a green forage crop 
for fall and spring, that will draw the $35 worth of nitrogen back to 
the soil from the air, which the corn consumed in its growth, and then 
by turning the green crop under, it gives you humus the equal of which 
cannot be put into the soil either in quality or quantity by barnyard 
manure or commercial fertilizer. 

If you want cattle food of the highest excellence — 

If you want a profitable soiling feed which may be cut and fed 
green to stock at most any stage of its growth — 

Put in Vetch. 

If you want a palatable, digestible hay, one that makes a good sub- 
stitute for red clover and is ready to harvest by the middle of June — 

Put in Vetch. 



If you want an early spring pasture that makes a crop when green 
forage is scarce (before spring and summer grasses come in) — 

Put in Vetch between the rows of corn at the last cultivation. 

To me this is one of the most wonderful crops the farmer can grow. 

It clearly demonstrates what nature will do for you if you let her, 
and give her an opportunity. 

No farmer's land would remain sick and worn out if he but studied 
the different legume crops, used his head, and let Nature do the work. 

That's why I want you to especially study this book on Vetch — 
the King of Soil Builders. 

Many farmers have sandy land a^id have been at a loss to know how 
to make it valuable and productive. Vetch is th^ answer. 

Nearly all farmers have a piece of ground, a field, or a part of their 
farm which has been cropped so long and so often that it will scarcely 
grow a crop, even a decent crops of weeds. How to bring such worth- 
less soil back to its original fertility is a vital question never answered 
more fully in detail than it is in this new book on Vetch. 

For a long time sandy land in some localities has been considered 
without value, and not only a drug on the market but an expense to 
the owner, and in many cases not even worth the taxes. Grow in- 
oculated Vetch on this kind of land. 

You will be surprised at the results. 

Vetch will pay in the Corn Belt. 

Many farmers think because their land is black as their hat, be- 
cause it is in the Corn Belt, or even because it is in the fertile plains of 
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the great Canadian Northwest, that they 
don't need a crop like Vetch, when as a matter of fact they are fooling 
themselves and would find that Vetch even in the very deepest black 
soil would prove a money maker for them. 

It is a dividend payer, and a crop that every farmer should grow on 
his farm. 

For that reason I would like to have you study over this book very 
carefully because it is an eye opener to many and you will then know 
why we call this book "Vetch, the King of Soil Builders." 




President. 



GALLOWAY BROTHERS-BOWMAN CO., 

Waterloo, Iowa. 



CHAPTER I. 



Hairy Vetch A Great Forage Crop 

DESCRIPTION — DISTRIBUTION — SOIL REQUIRE- 
MENTS—PREPARING THE SOIL— SOWING— GROWING 
SEED FOR HOME USE— FEEDING VALUE— ITS CHIEF 
USES AS FEED— SPRING PASTURE— ENSILAGE— FOR 
SOILING— FOR HAY— FOR MILK COWS— FOR HORSES- 
CHIEF CAUSE OF FAILURE. 



KINDS OF 
VETCH 



The reader will not care to learn particulars about all the different 
kinds of vetch. He will be chiefly interested in the varieties best 

known in this country. Hence the facts set 
forth in this little booklet deal mainly with 
hairy and commjon vetch, with but little 
space — far less than they deserve — devoted 
to the other varieties, such as black bitter 
vetch, scarlet vetch, purple vetch, and wool- 
ly-podded vetch. There are about 120 kinds of vetch. In the United 
States, where some twenty wild kinds are found, they are commonly 
knoAvn as wild peas. Many of these different vetches are compara- 
tively unknown to the American farmer, while others are growing in 
favor and covering greater areas every year. But, as I have said, the 
varieties of vetch best known to American farmers are common vetch, 
or tares, and hairy vetch. As the latter is of much greater import- 
ance, particularly as a soil-builder, I will discuss it first. 

HAIRY VETCH is also known as sand vetch, Russian vetch, Sibe- 
rian vetch, and villous vetch. Its seeds are small and somewhat re- 
semble sweet pea seeds. The growing plant, 
until it blossoms, looks like the sweet pea; 
when in full bloom the field is a sea of beau- 
tiful, bluish-purple clustered flowers. The 
plant is a branching, climbing vine, a great 
many of its branches reaching the length of 
seiVen to ten feet. A full grown crop forms a dense mat, completely 
covering the ground to the depth of one to two feet. When grown 
in combination with some strong growing plant, say wheat, rye, or 
oats, it is supported and kept entirely above the ground. The main 
stem of the hairy vetch is soft and spongy and slightly ridged, the 
entire plant being covered with very fine hairs. 



DESCRIPTION OF 
HAIRY VETCH 



6 VETCH: "THE K I \ U OF SOIL BUILDERS" 




DISTRIBUTION 



A Hfliry Vetch Plant. 
(From Bui. No. 149, Conn. Agr. Experiment Station.) 

Hairy vetch is, very hardy and is therefore adapted to a wide 
range of distribution. It has been successfully grown in nearly all 

parts of the United States; it succeeds well 
wherever the Common vetch will grow, and 
it will withstand the . winters of eastern 
Washington, Michigan, New York, and even 
of New England. It succeeds especially 
well on sandy soils, but it can be grown on any well-drained land. It 
is a common thing to see it grow and thrive and make a good crop 
under dry conditions that would kill off the common vetch. 

The question of what soils are most suitable for vetch is not par- 
ticularly important, for it is a very democratic plant ; it will grow and 

thrive on most any soil. 

It will grow on rich fertile fields and it 
will make its home on poor, thin, sandy soils. 
While it is grateful for what moisture 
is given it the first few weeks of its growth, 
when it is once established its ability to re- 
sist drought is astonishing. Another thing in its favor is the fact 
that it is quite resistant to alkali and will germinate well in soils too- 
alkaline for most legumes. ■ 

Although hairy vetch is no respecter of soils and will grow almost 



SOIL 
EEQUIREMENTS 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



PREPARING 
THE SOIL 



SOWING 
HAIRY VETCH 



anywhere Avithont any special preparation of the soil, provided the 

seed is well inoculated, it is always a wise 
practice tb give it as firm a seed bed as 
possible. 

It is an easy matter to do this on light 

soils, but snch soils should also be firmed by 

running the roller over them before sowing 

the seed. 

Sown in early spring, when the ground is moist and the conditions 

generally favorable for growth, hairy vetch will develop rapidly. It 

will be in full blossom by the middle of Au- 
gust and will continue to grow and remain 
green until the ground freezes in the winter. 
A fcAv seeds will be found in the late fail, 
but spring sowing is not advisable if one 
wishes to harvest a crop of seed. 
Sown in the fall, that is, any time between the first of August and 
the first of October, it will germinate after the first good rain and 
grow very rapidly before winter sets in. By the time the coldest 
weather appears the plants are well rooted and able to withstand the 
freezes. In the following spring it will continue its marvelous growth, 
developing blossoms by the first of June and ripening its seeds by the 
middle of July. 

When sOwn in the fall, September is considered the ideal month. 
If sown alone, about 40 poimds of good seed to the acre are sufficient, 
though as high as 50 pounds are frequently used. As a general prac- 
tice it is best to sow it in conjunction with a small-grain crop, such as 
oats, winter wheat, or rye. Oats are usually used in the South, but 
in the North wheat or rye must be used. Rye is generally the choice, 
but if intended for hay the wheat combination is more nutritious. 
"When growing such mixtures for seed, enough grain is used to make 
about two-thirds of a stand and twenty pounds of the vetch seed are 
added. Such a mixed crop is easily cut with a mower having a 
swather attachment, or even with a binder. If more vetch is used it 
is liable to lodge, especially in spots where the vetch is thick, and the 
moAving is therefore rendered more difficult. 

If its seed could be obtained anywhere' near as cheaply and abun- 
dantly as most other seeds, hairy vetch would quickly take a very im- 
portant place in American agriculture. In 
spite of the high price of seed, the crop is 
constantly growing in favor and its area 
rapidly extending. More and more the 
southern farmer is growing vetch for win- 
ter cover and hay, while the northern farmer 
is becoming alive to its superior qualities as a soil builder, especially 
on sandy lands and on soils where red clover no longer thrives. 



GROWING SEED 
FOR HOME USE 



8 VETCH: ''THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

This increase in the American demand for vetch is the principal 
reason for the high price of its seed ; the actual supply in Europe is not 
large, and thus far very little vetch seed has been produced in this 
country. 

I often wonder why the American farmer does not grow his own 
vetch seed. He can economically grow it for home use in most any 
State in the Union, and if he has any surplus can always sell it at good 
prices. 

No, there is not the least doubt but that a good crop of seed may 
be grown in most any part of the country. The largest crops have 
been grown on the Pacific Coast. The northern States also produce 
big crops, while in the South the seed crop seems to vary with the 
season, but often yielding good returns. 

Hairy vetch is a winter annual, behaving much like winter wheat. 
If planted in the spring it may produce a few blossoms the same sea- 
son, but will make little or no seed until the following season. If 
planted in the fall it ripens its seed crop the following July. Hence 
it follows that spring sowing for a seed crop is seldom advisable ex- 
cept on the Pacific Coast and in the arid regions. When vetch is 
spring-sown for seed it is best to pasture the crop the first season. 

The most successful seed growers plant in the fall, using from 30 
to 45 pounds of seed to the acre, together with about one peck of rye. 
The rye holds up the vetch, so that it can be easily harvested. When 
seed is ripe it is cut and threshed Avith the ordinary threshing ma- 
chine, the seed separated with fanning mill. 

Hairy vetch ripens its pods over a period of two or three weeks. 
The best crops are obtained when the first pods are fully ripe and the 
upper pods well filled. The upper pods will ripen in the shocks, and 
if carefully handled comparatively few of the ripe pods will shatter. 
It is always best to cut the crop early in the morning or on a cloudy 
day. At all events, the vetch, whether cut in bundles or otherwise, 
should be put into shocks at once and left till threshed. As already 
stated, the important thing is to handle the cut crop quickly and just 
as little as possible. 

Under favorable conditions 10 to 12 bushels of hairy vetch seed 
to the acre can be grown. Even at $3 or $4 a bushel, such crops 
are very profitable, and at this price the demand for the seed would 
increase enormously. A home-grown supply of this seed is badly 
needed and it is to be sincerely hoped that American farmers will take 
advantage of this fact, and that such source of seed will soon be avail- 
able. 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



Feeding Value Of Hairy Vetch 

One can more readily appreciate the increasing importance of vetch, 
as a farm crop if he realizes, not alone its fertilizing value to the soil, 
but also its value as a feed for animals. 

It is generally conceded that hairy vetch is our richest legume. It 
makes hay of fine, digestible quality, it provides excellent pasturage, 
and it is used very profitably as a soiling crop. Since these qualities 
depend largely upon the amount of digestible nutrients in the plant, 
I give below a table showing that in this respect hairy vetch ranks 
very high — in most instances pre-eminently so — when compared with 
other forage crops. This table is taken from Henry's Feeds and Feed- 
ing, pages 585-6. It also gives the fertilizing constituents of the re- 
spective plants, and in this connection you will note that none of these 
plants ranks as high in its protein (nitrogen) content as hairy vetch. 

TABLE 1— DiaESTIBLE NUTRIENTS AND FERTILIZING CON- 
STITUENTS. 





Total 
dry 
matter 
in 100 
lbs. - 


Digestible nutrients 
in 100 lbs. 


Fertilizing Constituents 
In 100 lbs. 


Name of Feed 


Crude 

protein 

Lbs. 


Carbo- 
hy- 
drates 
Lbs. 


Fat 
Lbs. 


Nitro- 
gen 
Lbs. 


Phos- 
phoric 
Acid 
Lbs. 


Potash 
Lbs. 


Dried Roughage. 

Cured hay from the 

grasses, etc. 

English hay 


86.0 

85.0 

85.8 

85.9 
90.1 
91.1 
86.0 
86.0 

84.7 
78.8 
90.3 
90.3 
90.4 
91.0 
90.8 
92.4 
85.0 
93.2 
88.7 


4.5 

3.4 

2.5 

2.1 
4.9 
4.8 
4.4 
5.0 

7.1 

6.2 

8.4 

11.5 

10.5 

8.2 

11.4 

6.7 

10.4 

11.1 

11.9 


44.0 

43.3 

39.2 

40.1 
42.4 
46.9 
40.2 
46.9 

37.8 
34.7 
39.7 
42.2 
34.9 
39.0 
38.6 
42.2 
36.5 
39.1 
40.7 


1.2 

1.4 

1.5 

1.1 
1.4 
1.0 
0.7 
1.1 

1.8 
2.1 
1.1 
1.5 
1.2 
2.1 
1.7 
3.0 
2.0 
0.6 
1.6 


12.6 

9.6 

9.1 

8.0 
12.9 
12.6 
12.5 
12.1 

19.7 
17.1 
20.5 
25.1 
24.3 
21.8 
24.3 
17.1 
23.7 
24.7 
27.2 


3.2 

5.0 

3.7 
3.6 
4.0 
4.3 

5.5 
5.2 
5.0 

7.8 
4.0 

7.4 
3.2 
5.0 
6.1 
9.7 


16.1 


Timothy, cut in full 
bloom 


14.1 


Timothy, cut soon aft- 
er bloom 




Timothy, cut nearly 
ripe 




Orchard grass : 

Red top 

Kentucky blue grass. . 

Hungarian grass 

Cured haj- from leg- 
umes : 
Red clover 


16.9 

10.2 
15.7 
15.4 

18.7 


Mammoth red clover. . 

Alsike clover 

White clover 

Crimson clover 

Bur clover 


11.6 
13.9 
13.2 
13.1 


Serradella 


26.3 


Peanut vine 


11.6 


Sainfoin 


14.7 


Alfalfa 

Hairy vetch 


17.9 
24.4 



10 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

From the above table it will be seen that, hairy vetch is remarkably 
rich in digestible protein and protein is "the substance in foods that 
goes to build red flesh and blood and to make nerve and brain. ' ' The 

chief component of protein is nitrogen, costliest of the plant foods, 
concerning which the reader will find some interesting facts in Chap- 
ter II of this booklet. 

It is well to state here, however, that it is the protein in foods that 
costs so much, and it is protein that is generally needed so badly. 
Your cows need it when they make milk, your chickens when they 
make eggs, your young animals need it to make them grow. Unless 
there is an abundant supply of protein in the ration there will be few 
eggs, little milk and slow animal growth. 

What nearly all farms are short of is this precious nitrogenous 
compound, protein. It is mainl}^ for this reason that the vetches — 
with a greater nitrogen content than even alfalfa — are coming into 
such prominence as food for animals. 

Its Chief Uses As Feed 

Vetch is being largely used for pasture because, when sown in 
the fall, it makes a crop when green forage is scarce, before spring 

and summer grasses come in. Early fall 
growing, sown alone or with rye, barley, or 
oats, makes a pasture very valuable for live- 
stock during April and May, and if planted 
in August it will be ready in February and 
]\larch. Just how long it will provide pas- 
ture depends a great deal on the seasons 
and whether it is seeded lightly or heavily ; also, whether it is desirable 
to have the vetch reseed itself or not. 

The demand for early spring grazing crops is growing steadily, 
due mainly to the increasing interest in dairying and the beef indus- 
try. The regular pasture crops supply needed forage from early sum- 
mer until autumn, and ensilage tides over late autumn and winter. 
But on nearly every farm there is a period of shortage of succulent 
forage from March until grass starts, and this period may be bridged 
over very profitably by growing vetch for spring pasture. 

It is not a good plan to commence grazing the vetch too early. For 
best results the stock should be kept off the field until the vetch has 
made considerable growth. It also should be remembered that if the 
vetch is to reseed the land the stock should be taken off before they 
graze too closely. 



HAIRY VETCH 
FOR SPRING 
PASTURE 



HAIRY VETCH 
FOR THE SILO 



FOR SOILING 



VETCH: 'THE KIXG OF SOIL BUILDERS" 11 

"While the principal means of utilizing hairy vetch as feed have 
been, thus far, in the form of soiling, hay and pasture, this rich legume 

is often profitably used as silage. The 
Michigan Experiment Station recommends 
ensiling it in alternate layers of corn. Con- 
sidering its high protein content this prac- 
tice ought to be a desirable one. 

But while it is being proved that siloing 
hairy vetch can be made a profitable farm practice on many farms, 
in many different states, it is not rational to expect that it will ever 
compete, as ensilage, with the great silo crops, such as corn and alfalfa. 
When sown alone, hairy vetch is not likely to prove a very pop- 
ular soiling crop. It is difficult to cut. But if sown as a mixed crop, 

either with, oats or some other kind of 

grain, it makes a very profitable soiling feed, 
and may be cut with a grass blade or mow- 
er and fed green to stock at most any stage 
of its growth. 

In Europe where vetch is cultivated extensively for forage pur- 
poses it is regarded equal to clover in nutritive qualities. Over there 

it is sown in late summer or early autumn, 
and harvested the next year. If sown in 
spring it is cut the same year. ■ 

There is no doubt but vetch makes excel- 
lent hay, though it is somewhat difficult to 
mow. "When planted in the spring it will permit a large amount of 
grazing the first season and a full crop of hay the next. "When soAvn 
in the fall with winter wheat for hay, the crop makes an excellent 
substitute for red clover and is ready to harvest as hay by the middle 
of June. 

Vetch is often grown for hay in combination with oats, using one 
and one-half bushels of oats to 15 to 20 pounds of vetch to the acre. 
Many growers prefer smooth headed wheat to any other grain for 
sowing with vetch, more particularly where a hay crop is desired. 
They figure that there is less danger of the wheat being winter killed, 
and, moreover, wheat makes a valuable hay, and the two are most 
always ready to cut at the same time. This is the combination most 
used in Europe, where the greater part of our hairy vetch seed is pro- 
cured. The wheat offers a support for the slender vetch plants and 
makes easy the harvesting of the seed and hay. "When sown with 
wheat, 15 to 20 pounds of vetch should be used to the acre and three- 
fourths to one bushel of wheat. 



FOR HAY 



12 



VETCH: "THE A'/2VG OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



The great feed value of hairy vetch hay may be better realized 
when we compare it with that of wheat bran. In the following figures 
taken from Henry's Feeds and Feeding the almost parallel analyses 
of the digestible nutrients of the two are shown: 





Total dry 

matter in 

100 lbs. 


Digestible nutrients 


Name of feed 


Crude 
protein 


Carboiiy- 
drates 


Fat 


Wheat bran 


88.1 
88.7 


11.9 
11.9 


42.0 
40.7 


2.5 


Hairy vetch 


1.6 



From the above figures it can be seen that, pound for pound, vetch 
hay as a ration for livestock is very nearly equal in nutrient value to 
wheat bran. Other things being equal, it should be worth as much for 
feed, and the average price of wheat bran is about $20 per ton. Fur- 
thermore, it is as palatable as it is digestible, and livestock as a rule 
eat it greedily. 

The yield will run from 6 to 10, and sometimes, on very rich soil, 
from 12 to 15 tons of green forage per acre. The yield of dry hay, 
taken on this basis, would be l^/o to 4 tons per acre, the yield depend- 
ing on the fertility of the soil. 

In the June 28th (1912) issue of Hoard's Dairyman, ex-Governor 
Hoard, the well known authority on dairy subjects, says: 

"Hairy vetch compares very favorably 
with alfalfa and clover hay as a feed for 
milk cows. The vetch hay is consid- 
erably richer in protein than clover hay and 
contains a little more digestible protein than 
alfalfa, but not enough to be considered in 
practical feeding operations. So far as com- 
position is concerned, it is not very far from correct to say that 
alfalfa and vetch hay are practically the same," 
Rye makes a satisfactory mixture with vetch, although it is more 
particularly recommended when pasturage or soil improvement is the 

chief end in view. Under most conditions, 
a better combination is wheat or oats. Yet 
rye and vetch as feed for horses can be suc- 
cessfully grown, as shown by the following 
letter from L. R. Johnson to the Breeders'^ 
Gazette, Sept. 11, 1912: 

"We are pleased with our first expe- 
rience with winter vetch. Our first cutting was made towards 
the end of May, while the rye was still green and the grains 



HAIRY VETCH 
FOR MILK COWS 



HAIRY VETCH 
AS FEED 
FOR HORSES 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 13 

unformed. The object was to have it succulent enough for 
horse feed. At this time the vetch had grown up to a height 
of about four feet and was intermingled with and supported 
by the rj^e. Although the horses had never before tasted vetch, 
they ate it with the rye with good relish. After this first cut- 
ting the vetch again began to grow and soon was in flower. 

"Vetch is one of the legume family, all of which are en- 
dowed with the power of storing the free nitrogen of the air in 
tubercles on their roots and thus enriching the soil without ex- 
pense to the farmer. Another point in favor of vetch is that it 
matures, in less than a year, while red clover requires a full year 
and three or four months of the second year, thus extending 
over two seasons. 

* ' Sow vetch in September and cut it or turn it under the next 

; May. This would be in time to use the ground for planting 

, corn. It grows as rapidly as the cowpea, but occupies almost 

exactly the months in the year which the cowpea does not. Thus 

it fills an unoccupied place." 

As already stated, unless vetch is grown as a cover or green- 
manure crop, some grain should be sown along with it. Such a com- 
bination offers many advantages, chief among which are: (1) The 
grain supports the vetch vine, making the harvesting of the hay a 
simpler matter; (2) it is easier to cure vetch hay when there is mixed 
with it the hay of one of the grains; (3) the yield is increased by the 
addition of the grain, and there is greater certainty of obtaining sat- 
isfactory returns in either hay or pasture from the mixture than from 
vetch alone; (4) it is cheaper to sow vetch for hay, in combination 
with some grain, since it reduces the amount of vetch seed needed, an 
important item so long as the price of hairy vetch seed remains as high 
as it is at present. 

The greatest care should be taken when handling the crop to pre- 
vent loss of leaves by shattering. When cut, the vetch should be at 
once cocked up in rather large cocks, so that the pods will be as little 
exposed to the sun as possible. "Where there is room it is a good prac- 
tice to remove the vetch to the barn to finish curing. Light should be 
excluded as much as possible without sacrificing the needed ventila- 
tion. After the hay is thoroughly cured it should be baled or closely 
stored in bulk. 

"Where a mixture of hairy vetch and grain is harvested the curing 
is more easily accomplished and with less danger of loss of leaves to 
the vetch. 



14 VETCH: ''THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

In considering the feeding value of a crop we look first to the 
amount of digestible protein, or nitrogen, it contains, and then to its 
percentage of carbohydrates and fat. A crop which contains a low 
percentage of protein, like corn, for instance, is usually rich in carbo- 
hydrates; whereas, clover, alfalfa, and vetch contain a large percent- 
age of protein, while their percentages of carbohydrates are relatively 
low. A proper combination of two crops — one rich in protein, the 
other rich in carbohydrates — results in a far more economical feeding 
for livestock than the, use of either one or the other in too great pro- 
portion. The trouble is that in compounding rations for the various 
feeding purposes, it is, on most farms, much more difficult and far 
more expensive to procure the necessary amount of nitrogen, or pro- 
tein, than it is to procure the carbohydrates and fat. This fact alone 
gives great prominence to the feeding value of inoculated legumes, 
such as alfalfa, the clovers, and the vetches ; for all inoculated legumes 
are richer in nitrogen than cereal grains or hay from grasses ; and the 
astonishing part of it lies in the fact that all these inoculated legumes 
get their nitrogen from the air, while all other plants get their nitro- 
gen by robbing the soil. 

When we consider the adaptability and usefulness of vetch for pas- 
ture, for a soiling crop, for hay and silage, when we learn that its food 
is richer in the costly nitrogenous nutrients than any other legume, if 
we except sweet clover, that it can be successfully grown in almost any 
state in the Union, we cease to wonder why it is that this marvelous 
legume is being recommended more and more for its feeding value. 

The failures in vetch growing are main- 
ly due to lack of inoculation. No one should 
attempt to plant vetch without providing 
the necessary inoculation to produce the 
nodules on its roots. Failure follows where 
vetch is not inoculated. Just wbat inocula- 
tion means is clearly shown in the following chapter. 



CHIEF CAUSE 
OF FAILURE 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 15 



CHAPTER II. 



Hairy Vetch King of Soil Builders 

SOIL— HUMUS— TWO CHIEF SOURCES OF HUMUS— 
THE HUMUS REQUIRED FOR SOIL BUILDING— NITRO- 
GEN — LEGUMES — INOCULATED LEGUMES— LEGUME 
GERMS— LEGUME GERMS VARY IN POWER— HAIRY 
VETCH A GREAT HUMUS MAKER— A GREAT NITRO- 
GEN-GATHERER—THE ROOTS OF HAIRY VETCH— ITS 
MASSIVE FOLIAGE— HAIRY VETCH FOR WORN-OUT 
SOILS— WIND-BLOWN SAND— PLOWING SANDY LAND 
—THE ROLLER ON SANDY LAND— THE DISK HARROW 
—THE TIGHT HARROW— PLANT INOCULATED SEED^ 
SEEDING SANDY LANt)— BARN MANURE ON SANDY 
LAND— LIME ON SANDY SOIL. 



In the preceding chapter it was shown that hairy vetch is a forage 
crop that ranks very high in feeding value: It provides excellent 
pasturage at the most grateful time possible, early spring; it makes 
very good ensilage; it provides a soiling crop that is growing in favor 
every year; and it makes a digestible, palatable hay that is as rich and 
nutricious as alfalfa or clover. Nevertheless, the feeding value of this 
remarkable legume is of secondary importance when one realizes its 
fertilmng value. This latter value is so marked that many enthusiastic 
vetch growers give hairy vetch first place among all green-manure crops 
for increasing soil fertility. 

As alfalfa is unquestionably the most valuable forage crop ever dis- 
covered, so hairy vetch, it is claimed, is the most valuable fertilizing 



16 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 




plant ever discovered. If 
this is true every farmer in 
America should know it. 
Therefore, let us ascertain, if 
possible, just where this 
plant gets its wonderful re- 
putation for reclaiming poor 
or worn-out soil. 



Hairy Vetch, it is claimed, 
will build up worn-out soil 
better, quicker and cheaper 
than any other green-manure 
crop; that it best supplies 
those two great needs of the 
soil, humus and nitrogen. 
That the reader may better 
realize what these claims im- 
ply, I will go over, very brief- 
ly, four essential factors up- 
on which they are based: (1) 
Soil, (2) Humus, (3) Nitro- 
Hairy Vetch. gg^^ and (4) Legumes. 

S()il is a mixture of inorganic and organic material. The inorganic 
part of soil is composed of rocks or mineral substances broken into 

more or less fine particles. The organic part 
is composed of decayed or decaying material 
which once had life in the form of vegetable 
or animal tissue. 
The inorganic particles, composed of rock and mineral substance, 
constitute by far the greater portion of the soil, being 95 to 98 per cent 
of sandy or gravelly soils, from 80 to 95 per cent of loams and clayey 
soils and about 80 per cent of muck or peaty soils. This inorganic 
material supplies the necessary mineral elements of plant food. 

The organic portion of the soil furnishes the supply of nitrogen, 
that expensive element of plant food without which no crop can make 
any growth. It also supplies the other plant foods which are taken 
up in the growth of the plant or animal and which by their decay are 
returned to the soil in a form the plants can use. The organic portion 
of the soil also makes the mineral elements of the soil available by the 
action of acids upon the inorganic matter, the acids being produced by 
the decay of the organic matter. 




VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 17 

From the above facts it becomes as clear as day that if you want 
to make your farm more fertile and improve its physical condition the 
essential thing to do is to establish and maintain a proper balance 
between the organic portions (humus) and the inorganic (mineral) por- 
tions of your soil. 

It is a rare thing to find soil containing too much organic matter, 
especially if it is well drained. The trouble is usually if not always 
the other way, the amount of organic matter is too small. All run 
down, worn out, abandoned farms and sandy soils that are low iu 
productiveness are lacking in humus. So, also, are all soils that have 
been misused by improper methods of cropping. The proper way, the 
only way, and Nature's own way, to restore all such depleted soils to 
a fertile condition is to feed them an additional supply of vegetable 
matter. In other words, the thing to do is to restore the proper balance 
between the organic and inorganic portions of the soil. 

When speaking of humus I will refer to the organic portion of the 
soil although in the strict sense of the term this is not technically cor- 
rect. Scientific writers usually make the dis- 
tinction that humus does not refer to organic 
matter which is decaying in the soil but to 
that which is already decayed.' I 



HUMUS 



TWO CHIEF 
SOURCES 
OF HUMUS 



There are two methods of increasing the supply of humus in the 
soil ; one is the application of barn manure, the other is to plow under 

some farm crop grown for that purpose. 
The last method is called "green-manuring". 
While stable manure makes very valuable 
humus, containing some nitrogen and at the 
same time exercising a most important effect 
upon the physical feature of the soil, it is 
not available in sufficient quantities, the de- 
mand greatly exceeding the supply. 

Not alone is the supply of stable manure insufficient but it is the 
experience of many farmers that, for reasons they are unable to define, 
certain green-manure crops, more particularly vetch, make a better 
quality of humus, bring bigger results, than stable manure. 

Whether this be true or not, few farmers can economically secure 
stable manure in quantities that will suffice to keep up the supply of 
humus in their soil, to say nothing of any needed increase in the supply. 
It becomes evident, therefore, that green-manuring is the only available 
means of supplying soil with the humus it needs. 

The kind of crop to plow under depends upon the needs of the soil. 



THE HUMUS 
REQUIRED FOR 
SOIL BUILDING 



18 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

When soil is naturally fertile and an increased supply of organic matter 

is the chief need, then any rank-growing 
farm crop may be used. But when the sup- 
ply of nitrogen in the soil is small and an 
increased supply of both nitrogen and humus 
is the chief necessity, then some legume crop 
must be used. No other crop can increase 
the nitrogen supply. No other crop can re- 
turn to the soil any essential element of fertility which it did not draw 
from it. The legumes are ideal humus makers. As a rule, they are 
succulent, juicy plants that decay quickly and are easily incorporated 
in the soil. What is more, they have deep, extensive root systems that 
bring up from below some of the mineral plant food which is present 
in the deeper layers of soil. Legumes grow luxuriously and provide 
vast quantities of vegetable matter which, when plowed under, quickly 
decay into plant-feeding, soil-building humus. This is the humus re- 
quired when the end in view is increased fertility. This is the kind, 
the only kind, of humus that increases the nitrogen supply of the soil. 

Ever since the world has known anything of the chemistry of plants, 
nitrogen has been considered as the great essential component of plant 

food. It has always been, and is now, the 
most costly element in fertilizers. No one 
need tell the farmer how expensive nitrogen 
is. Too often has he dug down in his pocket 
to pay for it, either as nitrate of soda, tankage, cotton seed meal, guano, 
or dried blood, its cost ranging from 15 to 20 cents a pound. 

But the progressive farmer is learning, thousands have already 
learned, that the most expensive nitrogen comes from the fertilizer bag 
and the cheapest nitrogen comes from growing some leguminous crop ; 
he is learning that he can make his own nitrogen far cheaper and 
better, and at the same time supply his soil with humus by growing and 
plowing under some inoculated legume. 

Today, no one, not even the fertilizer manufacturer, contends that 
nitrogen can be profitably bought in commercial fertilizers in quantities 
required by crops. There is only one economical source where it may 
be obtained in sufficient quantities and that is from the air. To get 
it from the air and put it in his soil the farmer must grow inoculated 
legumes. 

The legumes are a group of plants which grow their seed in pods. 



NITROGEN 



r ETCH: "THE Kiy G OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



19 



LEGUMES 



They embrace all the clovers, alfalfa, peas, beans, peanuts, lupines, 

sainfoin, serradella, and the vetches. These 
are the legumes most valuable to the farm. 
There is a multitude of others, of less value, 
both wild and cultivated, but these need 
not be enumerated here. 
For forage the legumes rank above grasses and other forage plants, 
being richer in nitrogen and producing a richer manure. As forage 
crops they help balance the food ration of man and domestic animals. 
The great bulk of farm products, either in grain or roughage, is from 
plants belonging to the grass family which produce plenty of starch 
and other heat-forming substances, but are deficient in protein or 
muscle-making foods. The legumes produce a large percentage of 
protein which, when used, teuds to correct the otherAvise one-sided 
ration. It is desirable to feed growing cattle alfalfa, clover, hairy 
vetch hay along with grain or corn, for the same reasons that human 
beings eat meat with potatoes. But with most farmers the profitable 
growing of legumes is not based upon their feeding value but more 
upon the fact that all inoculated legumes are soil-builders and soil- 
renovators. 

This is because (1) they are largely tap-rooted and feed at greater 
depth than other plants, thereby working up heavy soils and render- 
ing them more porous; (2) they bring certain mineral foods within the 
feeding area of more shallow-rooted plants and (3) their decaying 
roots leave humus in the soil upon which other plants can feed; (4) 
the legumes offer opportunity for a better system of rotation — not alone 
for reasons just stated, but because when brought into a rotation, they 
are not subject to the same insect enemies and fungous diseases of 
cereals and grasses; (5) legumes not only provide great quantities of 
organic matter so much needed by all thin soils Ijut (6) this organic 
matter, humus, is the means of adding to the soil large amounts of the 
one element of plant food that is most costly, most unstable, and most 
deficient in poor soils — nitrogen. This added nitrogen comes from the 
air. 

Although 75 per cent of the air in which all plants grow is nitrogen, 
no plants can use it except inoculated 
legumes. Inoculated legumes eat it and 
thrive on it and, better still, they store away 
a surplus of it in their roots, and when they 
are plowed under their total nitrogen is 
added to the soil. 
No one will appreciate this particular value of legumes unless he 



INOCULATED 
LEGUMES 



20 VETCH: ''THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

gives it a little study. Let us take, for instance, the following six facts 
which Cyril G. Hopkins offers as a basis for the solution of the nitrogen 
problem in practical general agriculture: 

"(1) To produce 100 pounds of grain requires about 3 pounds of 
nitrogen, of which 2 pounds are deposited in the grain itself and 1 pound 
in the straw or stalks. 

"(2) In livestock farming one-fourth of the nitrogen in the food 
consumed is retained in the animal products — meat, milk, wool, and so 
on — and three-fourths may be returned to the land in the excrements if 
saved without loss. 

"(3) "When grown on soils of normal productive capacity legumes 
secure about two-thirds of their total nitrogen from the air and one-third 
from the soil. 

"(4) Clover and other biennial or perennial legumes have about 
two-thirds of their total nitrogen in the tops and one-third in the roots, 
while the roots of cowpeas and other annual legumes contain only about 
one-tenth of their total nitrogen. 

"(5) Hay made from our common legumes contains about 40 pounds 
of nitrogen per ton. 

"(6) Average farm manure contains 10 pounds of nitrogen per ton. 

"Question: How many tons of average farm manure must be applied 
to a 40-acre field in order to provide as much nitrogen as would be added 
to the soil by plowing under 2% tons of clover per acre? Answer: 
400 tons. 

"Either method will furnish about as much nitrogen as would be 
taken from the soil by a^, 50-bushel crop of wheat, a 75-bushel crop of 
corn or a 100-bushel crop of oats per acre. The decision by the individ- 
ual between live stock farming and grain farming should be based upon 
preference and profit rather than upon the erroneous teaching that farm 
manure is either essential or sufiicient for the maintenance of soil fer- 
tility in this country. 

"Bread is the staff of life, and many must sell grain. I do not advise 
all grain farmers to become livestock farmers; but I advise both grain 
farmers and livestock farmers to enrich their soils by practical, profit- 
able and permanent methods. Both classes of farmers may secure new 
nitrogen — that is, they can positively increase their nitrogen supply by 
sufficient use of legume crops." 

Another way to grasp the full value of inoculated legumes is to see 
what would happen if they did not exist. For instance : 

A "good soil" contains from 2,500 to 10,000 pounds of nitrogen 
per acre. Let us call it 6,000 pounds. 

A good crop (except inoculated legumes) takes from this store from 
75 to 400 pounds of nitrogen, depending on the crop. Call it 200 
pounds. 

Question: How many crops could you grow upon "good soil" be- 
fore the nitrogen became exhausted? Answer: 30 crops. At this 
rate, supposing there were no inoculated legumes to get nitrogen from 
the air, all soils would soon wear out and all plants would refuse to 
grow because of no more nitrogen for them to feed upon. Since human 
life is based on plant life, and plant life is based on nitrogen, all 
human beings would gradually starve to death. In other words, if 
the supply of nitrogen in the soil became exhausted, man, as well as 
animals and plants, would perjsh from the earth. 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



21 



Luckily, legumes, when they are inoculated, have the power of 
tapping the vast sea of nitrogen that covers every acre of ground; 
they are able to take free nitrogen from the air and store it m the soil. 
How are they able to do this? They are aided by certam nitrogen- 
gathering bacteria which, for the present, we will call Legume Germs 
As already stated, inoculated legumes have power to obtain free 
nitrogen from the air. This is not strictly true. When a legume is 

"inoculated" it has certam germs living in 
its roots and it is these particular germs that 
really do the work of taking up free nitro- 
gen and making it into plant food. Without 
these germs the legumes are as helpless as 
corn, wheat potatoes, etc., and must get their 



LEGUME 
GERMS 



nitrogen out of the soil instead of the air. 

Getting nitrogen out of the air is a partnership busmess— the 
Legume Germs furnish the capital, the nitrogen and the legumes fur- 
nish free house rent. Each partner helps supply the table board, the 
Germs furnishing all the nitrogen and the legumes furmshmg the 
starch, sugar, and various mineral salts. 

One of the most astonishing things about these nitrogen-fixmg 
Germs is that they will not build their nitrogen homes any where but 
in the roots of a legume. 

When they have built their homes in the roots of a legume then that 
legume is said to be "inoculated", for that is just what inoculation 

means. , ^ • •+ 

If you carefully pull up an inoculated legume plant and examine its 
root you can see the nitrogen homes of the germs. Their homes look 
like little knots or warts. These are called nodules or tubercles. 

The tubercles vary in size. You will find that on some legumes 
they are smaller than a pinhead, on others they are larger than a pea; 
it is all owing to the kind of legume. They are especially small upon 
some of the clovers, and large upon cowpeas and soy beans. 

While the homes of the Legume Germs can be seen very easily with 
the eve it is impossible to see the germs except by means of the power- 
ful niiscroscope. Thev multiply very rapidly and increase to enormous 
numbers. Several miUion often Hve and work in the same house; in 
one tubercle. 

Another strange thing about these Legume Germs is this: While 
they all apparentlv belong to one family it requires a separate and dis- 
tinct branch of the family to inoculate each different legume. Thus, 
there is but one branch of the family that will buUd their homes m 
the roots of. red clover. And so in order to inoculate red clover it is 



22 VETCH: "TEE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

iiecessary that the red clover branch of the Legume Germ family build 
i^^ieir homes in its roots. No other branch will do. Another branch 
,>pll inoculate cowpeas, another soy beans, and still another vetch, and 

,; Before they can build their tubercles the legume germs must first 
,pe;u&trate the legume roots. And it seems that they differ a great deal 

in their ability to do this. Authorities agree 



LEGUME GERMS 

VARY 

IN POWER 



that the germs also display differences in 
their ability to gather nitrogen from the air 
after their tubercles are built. This variable 
power of the germs is called virulence. 

Germs with a high degree of virulence penetrate the legume roots 
easily and secure large quantities of nitrogen from the air. But germs 
of a low degree of virulence are feeble in this respect. 

Soil conditions have a great deal to do with the virulence of legume 
germs. Ill-drained soils, or those deficient in humus, tend to rob the 
germs of their virulence, to the injury of the legume crops that may be 
grown upon them. On the other hand, under favorable soil conditions 
the virulence of the germs may be increased; soils in good tilth, well 
aerated and supplied with an abundance of moisture, soils well pro- 
vided with lime and humus, are friendly to germs and greatly increase 
their power as nitrogen-gatherers. All of which goes to prove the 
great fundamental value of humus. The more we study the fertility 
problem the clearer becomes the fact that humus is the starting-point 
in furnishing added fertility to a soil and the finishing-point in main- 
taining its fertility. 

In fact, it becomes clear that in order to restore a depleted soil to a 
fertile condition, or to build up any barren, sterile soil, the first thing 
to do is to remedy the lack of balance between its organic and mineral 
portions by supplying more humus. If the right kind of humus is sup- 
plied not only will it improve the texture of the soil enabling it to hold 
more moisture and soluble plant foods, not only will it increase the 
energy of soil bacteria which in breaking down the humus also set 
free acids which dissolve other plant foods, not only will it increase the 
virulence of legume germs, but the right kind of humus will absolutely 
solve the nitrogen problem. This soil-making, soil-building humus can 
only be economically added to the soil by growing and plowing under 
an inoculated legume. 

But there are many legumes and, in a general way, they are all 
soil builders and renovators; so the question naturally arises, which one 
is the best? 

In determining this there is only space here to deal briefly with the 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 23 

two chief factors most likely to influence us : the comparative amount 
of vegetable matter the inoculated legume will supply and the com- 
parative amount of organic nitrogen it will assimilate from the soil 
and atmosphere. 

In supplying these two great essentials, let us see if, among all the 
legumes, hairy vetch does not display great prominence. 

Hairy Vetch 

A GREAT HUMUS MAKER 
A GREAT NITROGEN-GATHERER. 

It is no exaggeration to say that organic matter is the life of the 
soil. The productive power of most farming lands is proportionate 
to the amount of organic matter in it. 

Ordinarily the roots of a legume contain only about one-quarter or 
one-third as much vegetable matter and nitrogen as is contained in the 
plant above ground. This is why, when a legume is grown to increase 
the fertility of the soil, it is necessary to turn under the whole crop. 
By doing this nearly three times as much humus will be added as com- 
pared with the manure which would result from feeding the crop since 
about two-thirds of the organic matter in feed is decomposed in the 
animal. 

After the soil has been brought to a fairly fertile condition the 
humus and nitrogen supply can be maintained by the growth of in- 
oculated legumes in short rotation. This can be done even when the 
legume is cut for feed, provided the manure from such feeding is re- 
turned without loss to the soil. Since, through leaching in the soil and 
in the management of the manure there is a gradual, unavoidable loss 
of the elements phosphorus and potash, it may be necessary, under 
certain conditions, to add these elements from time to time. 

The value of any particular legume for green manuring purposes 
depends chiefly upon how heavy a growth it will make in a given time 
on a given soil and the total nitrogen which it will gather from the air. 

In Popular Bulletin No. 32, written by K, W. Thatcher, Director of 
the "Washington Experiment Station, there are certain analyses re- 
ported showing the percentage of nitrogen in various legumes. These 
analyses show the greoXer fertilizing value of hairy vetch — based on the 
market value of nitrogen it adds to the soil — even when compared with 
such great soil builders as alfalfa and red clover. The following is 
from Mr. Thatcher's bulletin: 

"The actual gain in nitrogen through any leguminous crop 
may, of course, be obtained l)y multiplying the weight of crop- 



24 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS 



produced by the percentage of nitrogen which it contains. It 
was in order to ascertain the percentage of nitrogen in the 
various legumes which were being experimented with that the 
analyses reported below were made. 

NITROGEN CONTENT OF VARIOUS LEGUMES 

"The samples for these analyses were taken from adjacent 
plots where each legume was given equal conditions of soil, 
moisture-supply, etc., for its growth. It is believed, therefore, 
that the figures in the table show the comparative nitrogen- 
gathering capacity of the different crops. The percentages in 
each case are computed in dry weight of samples. 



CROP 



Tops 



Nitrogen in Dry 


Matter 


oots 


Nodules 


Whole 
Plant 


0.90 


1.60 


1.85 


2.47 


4.00 


3.50 


2.38 


2.84 


2.62 


2.24 


4.56 


2.10 


2.54 


5.09 


2.58 


1.71 


4.82 


2.28 


1.27 


6.92 


1.50 


1.91 


5.97 


2.18 


1.73 


5.86 


1.82 


2.45 


5.07 


2.80 



Sainfoin 1.92 

Tangier Pea (Lathyrus Tingitanus) 3.63 

Field Pea (Pisum Arvense) 2.68 

Giant Vetch (Vicia Pannonicum) 2.05 

Spring Vetch (Cicia sativa) 2.61 

Scarlet Vetch (Vicia sp.) 2.46 

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) 1.72 

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) 2.30 

"White Clover (Trifolium repens) 1.87 

Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa) 2.96 

GAIN OF NITROGEN PER ACRE AND MARKET VALUE 

''The gain of nitrogen per acre to the soil, if any one of these 
crops be plowed under as a green manure, may be calculated by 
multiplying the percentage of nitrogen in the whole plant by the 
weight of dry matter produced on an acre . This weight of growth 
will, of course, vary extremely in different seasons, on different 
soils, and with different cultivation. As examples of possible 
gains which may be made, the following table, computed from 
' the yields per acre as given, may be of interest. The present 

market value of nitrogen in commercial fertilizers as sold in this 
State is about twenty cents per pound. The market vahie of 
the gain in nitrogen per acre by plowing under the average crop 
as shown is indicated in the last column. 



CROP 



Pounds of 
Nitrogen 
Per Ton 



Eed Clover 43 

Alfalfa ..- 30 

Field Peas 52 

Tangier Peas 70 

Hairy Vetch 56 

"It is probable that the yields assumed in this table are 
higher than could be obtained in actual field practice. Certainly 
they are larger than would be obtained in the dryer sections of 



Probable 

Yield 
Per Acre 
in Tons 


Nitrogen 

Gain 
Per Acre 
in Lbs. 


Market 
Value of 

Gain in 
Nitrogen 


3 


129 


$25.80 


3 


90 


18.00 


4 


208 


40.16 


3 


210 


42.00 


4 


224 


44.80 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS 



25 



THE ROOTS 

OF 
HAIRY VETCH 



the State. They are not larger, however, than may be secured 
■under irrigation, or in those parts of the State where the annual 
rainfall is heavy. Not all of the nitrogen shown as gain, in the 
above table, would be net gain in every instance. On soils rich 
in nitrogen, the crop takes only a part of its nitrogen from the 
air, securing a considerable proportion from the soil itself. 
Probably, the poorer the soil is in nitrogen, the greater the pro- 
portionate gain in nitrogen from the air. The net gain is, there- 
fore, likely to be greatest in those soils which are in greatest 
need of nitrogen. ' ' 

The figures shown in the above table are in accord with the claim of 
the Agricultural Department, that an acre of inoculated hairy vetch 
plowed under has a fertilizing value, based on what its equivalent in 
commercial fertilizer would cost, of from $20 to $45. 

Among many other things that make hairy vetch so superior a soil- 
builder is its mass of fibrous roots penetrat- 
ing the soil to a considerable depth. 

Seed sown at the Cornell Station on July 
10 produced plants whose roots on Novem- 
ber 1 were traced to a depth of 3 feet 8 
inches in a tough, impervious clay. 

Alfalfa and the clovers are con- 
sidered great soil builders because 
of their ability to gather nitrogen 
from the air ; but, as a rule, you will 
find ten nodules on the roots of a 
vetch plant to one on the roots of 
either alfalfa or clover. 

Another thing, the vetch tubercles 
are fresh and active during open 
weather in the winter and very early 
in the spring, showing that its legume 
germs have remarkable virulence. 
In this respect hairy vetch very pro- 
fitably differs from most of the other 
cultivated legumes. 

So numerous and thick are the 
roots of hairy vetch they will plow 

Roots of Hairr Vetch Showing Un- i-i i -i 

usually Large Tubercles. up like heavy SOd. 




ITS MASSIVE 
FOLIAGE 



26 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

Another great feature of this wonderful manure plant is its massive 
foliage (See frontispiece). It is not at all unusual for it to go 20 tons 

to the acre. In fact, there is no other 
legume, unless it is serradella, that produces 
such a quantity of organic matter for plow- 
ing under. An ordinary, well-inoculated 
crop of hairy vetch will go 12 tons to the^ 
acre. 
At the Cornell Station a three months' growth of hairy vetch pro- 
duced 6,824 pounds of air-dried forage per acre. It contained 240 
pounds of nitrogen, 53 pounds of phosphoric acid and 52 pounds of 
potash. During the same period cowpeas produced 2,262 pounds of 
forage per acre, containing 46 pounds of nitrogen, 23 pounds of phos- 
phoric acid and 19 pounds of potash. 

The above shows the immense amount of vegetable matter and new 
nitrogen the vetch grower is able to plow under and feed to his soiL 
It is truly a remarkable humus maker, strong, hardj^ able to grow 
where other legumes fail, with a tremendous ability to increase the 
nitrogen supply of the soil. 

But hairy vetch has still other valuable qualities in its favor. These 
will be brought to the reader's attention when the profitable uses of 
this marvelous manure plant are specifically discussed. 

Hairy Vetch for Worn-Out Soil 

Lucky is the farmer who has not some field or portion of his farm 
that is worn out and practically worthless. In the older settled sec- 
tions many entire farms have been sapped of their fertility until they 
no longer produce satisfactory crops. Some are worn-out and abso- 
lutely worthless. 

All such soils can be built up and made richer and more productive 
than they ever were if special care be taken to till them properly and 
to follow a type of farming suited to the locality and soil. 

But the first step that must be taken to put a worn-out soil on a pay- 
ing basis is to increase its supply of humus. Soil, as we have seen, was 
originally built up by mixing vegetable matter with disintegrated 
minerals and stones. Why can not a soil that is poor or worn-out, 
chiefly because it lacks vegetable matter, be built up by the same pro- 
cess? An abundance of vegetable matter will restore the proper 
balance between the. organic and inorganic portions of the soil^ im- 
prove its texture, add humus and plant food, and increase its water- 
holding power. 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 27 

This needed vegetable matter can be economically supplied only 
by plowing under some soil-building green-manure crop. This means 
a legume crop. And can there be a better legume for the purpose than 
hairy vetch? Can you find another soil-builder that has equal ability 
to withstand cold weather, to make rapid growth in the fall and spring 
months? Or one that has such a heavy mass of foliage to turn under? 
Or one that can quickly add so much humus and nitrogen to the soil? 

No matter if the soil you are to build up is sandy, gravelly, or cold 
tough clay, you will find hairy vetch a profitable humus maker. If 
inoculated, it will always live up to its title, King- of Soil Builders. 

For Poor Sandy Soils 

Another name for hairy vetch is Sand vetch. This name came from 
its ability to grow and thrive on poor sand}^ soils. On such soils, better 
than any other legume, it will supply the three things most needed: 
(1) nitrog-en, (2) fermentable organic material to aid in dissolving the 
mineral plant-food in the soil and (3) humus to aid in increasing the 
water-holding power of the soil. 

These three vital things are needed to build up all soils but they 
are needed most on light soils, and inoculated hairy vetch will best 
supply them. The losses of nitrogen are greater the lighter the soil, 
and, possiblj'-, leaches more readily from sandy soils than from any 
other. 

It was on Avorn-out sandy soil that hairy vetch got its reputation 
of being the King of Soil Builders. 

In the first place it has the advantage of other legumes in being 
better able to grow and thrive on sand soils. It is hardier and more 
drought resistant. It will grow in practically all the states, and is 
rapidly increasing in hardiness, thus adapting itself to our winters. 
(For this reason native seed should be preferred to imported seed, 
since it has been found to be better able to Avithstand our winters.) 

For badly run-down land and barren sandy soils, the farmer needs, 
above all else, a soil-building legume best adapted to such soils, and 
that legume is hairy vetch. 

If you, who are reading this booklet, have any such land my advice 
is to GROW INOCULATED HAIRY VETCH. You will find that your 
sandy soil will respond quickly and gratefully. In a remarkably short 
time your v/orn-out soil will grow the same bountiful crops it grew 
when its rich, virgin humus, deposited by nature herself, first turned 
dirt into dollars. 



28 



VETCH: 



THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS'' 



WIND-BLOWN 
SAND 



PLOWING 
SANDY LAND 



One of the chief virtues of hairy vetch is that it makes sandy soils 
much less subject to the action of the wind. "Wind storms occurring 

in the spring and early summer months often 
completely destroy the young vegetation, 
and corn, potatoes and other crops planted 
on hills are frequently cut more severely in 
a few hours by such storms than bj" a very 
heavy frost. 

A matted growth of vetch covering the ground like a "thick velvet 
carpet" makes sandy soil as immune from damaging wind storms as 
heavier soils. 

When you start in to build up very sandy soil with hairy vetch 

do not make the serious mistake of plowing too deep. The soil is thin 

and light and what humus it contains is most- 
ly within two or three inches of the surface. 
So begin by plowing but four or five inches 
deep and gradually increase the depth each 
year as humus and nitrogen are added to 
soil. 
After your land is plowed it should be gone over with a roller 

heavily weighted in order to pack the loosened soil and make it firm. 

This will hasten the rotting of the weeds, 
grasses and shrubby growths you have 
turned under and help supply moisture from 
below. 

Do not use a spring-tooth harrow, as 
many do, to pull out roots and shrubs. Leave 

all such trash in the soil. Its decay means that much more humus, 

the very thing you are afteir. The disk 
harrow, to cut the trash up and leave it 
in place, is a far better thing to use. The 
disk, too, will easily dispose of any new 
growth that comes up between the time you 
plow in July and the time you seed to vetch 

in August or September. 

The disk should not run more than about three inches deep and 
should be set at only a slight angle. If you have no disk, use a spike- 
tooth drag with the teeth slanting slightly backward. 

You should use the roller again just before you seed to vetch and 
again immediately after. 

After the roller has gone over the seeding you will find that the 



THE ROLLER ON 
SANDY SOILS 



THE DISK HARROW 
ON SANDY SOILS 



VETCH: "THE K I :N G OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



29 



THE HARROW 

ON 
SANDY SOIL 



smooth surface of the soil offers but little resistance to the wind. This 

is apt to cause more sand to blow and 
evaporation will go on more rapidly. 

You can prevent this to a great extent by 
following the roller with a light harrow. 
This will not only roughen the surface and 
lessen the blowing of sand, but it will also 
form a dust mulch and this will check evap- 
oration. 
Your sandy soil is now ready for the vetch. Make sure that your 
hairy vetch seed comes from a reliable seed house. (See page 74.) 
Before you plant see that your seed is in- 
oculated. That you may realize the abso- 
lute necessity of proper inoculation, I ^ve 
here a report of the comparative results from 
sowing inoculated and uninoculated hairy- 
vetch seed, taken from the Alabama Experi- 
ment Station Bulletin No. 87. 
"Yield per acre of hairy vetch with and without inoculation: 
Hairy Vetch / Green Forage Cured Hay 

Not inoculated I 900 I 232 

Inoculated 1 9136 I 2540 



PLANT INOCULATED 
HAIRY VETCH 
SEED 




Hairy Vetch and Rve on Jack-Tine (Sandy) Land Xear Muskegon, Mich. 
(This cut "kindly furnished by The Tiactical Farmer.) 



30 VETCH:" T H E K I A (/ OF HO I L BUILDERS " 

You can sow your inoculated seed alone or with rye. If alone, sow 
40 pounds of seed per acre the first year. This is not too much for it 

needs to be seeded thickly. Many vetch 



SEEDING HAIRY 
VETCH ON 
SANDY LAND 



growers use 50 pounds. Sow from 21/2 to 3 
inches deep with a two-horse drill. If sown 
with rye, use 25 pounds of inoculated hairy 
vetch seed mixed with 2 or 3 pecks of rj-e. 
Sow anj' time in August or September. Early in its growth hairy 
vetch is very grateful for any moisture it can get. So if August is 
particularly hot and dry it may be well to plant in early September. 
The plant will grow slowly at first but if you have followed the above 
instructions carefully, you will see it spring up like magic after it 
once gets a foothold. 

Hairy vetch responds quickly to barn manure. And since manure 
is a great humus maker, it will also help your sandy soil. You should 

apply the marntre as a top-dressing on your 
growing vetch during the winter or early in 
spring. Spread it very even and thin so it 
will not choke out the vetch, and use noth- 
ing but well-rotted manure. 



BARN MANURE 

ON 
SANDY LAND 



There are two kinds of lime. Which is best for your poor, sandy 
soil? One is caustic or quick lime, such as 



LIME ON 
SANDY SOIL 



fresh-burned lime or fresh-slacked lime; the 
other is the natural form, sucli as limestone, 
marble, lime shells, and shell marl. 
First let us see what effects are produced by using lime on soils. 
The two principal eflPects are : 

(1) To correct the acidity of sour soils. Many of the 
legumes will not live or will not thrive to any advantage even 
when their seed is inoculated, on soils that are very sour. Prom- 
inent among these are alfalfa, and the clovers (red, white, 
crimson, and alsike). These legumes fail in sour soil because 
their bacteria (legume germs) will not develop and multiply. 

Any form of lime which can be thoroughly mixed with the 
soil Avill serve to correct the soil's acidity. 

(2) The other effect produced by lime is the decomposition 
of the soil itself. The organic matter of the soil is destroyed with 
the liberation of nitrogen and phosphorus held in organic form 
and the mineral particles of the soil are broken up with the 
liberation of some plant food elements, as potash and phosphorus 
in inorganic form. This effect is produced by caustic or quick 
lime. 



VETCH: "TEE K IX G OF SOIL BUILDER 8 



31 



The second effect, the decomposition of the soil, is in all respects a 
destructive process. It destroys organic matter and reduces the stock 
of plant food in the soil. But you are looking for soil-building ma- 
terial for your sandy land, so never use caustic lime in any shape or 
form. It is beneficial on some soils, especially heavy, plastic clay and 
all heavy soils in which organic matter decays slowly. 

Now let us look at the first effect of lime. The correction of soil 
acidity results in a building-up process for it helps inoculated legumes, 
to grow. Most of the legumes are great lime feeders; they sicken and 
die in sour soil. So the question arises, what kind of lime and how 
much lime will you use on your sandy soil before you seed it to hairy 
vetch ? ■ 

Answer: Use some natural form of lime, preferably ground lime- 
stone or marl. Always apply it on the surface so that it may dissolve 
and percolate down, sweetening the soil as it goes. Spread it on evenly 
after plowing, and then harrow it in. As to the amount, do not let 
this worry you on the start. One or two thousand pounds to the acre 
would be a great help. On the other hand, if you find it difficult to 
get this kind of lime right away, do not let this hinder you, but go 
right ahead and plant your hairy vetch. For unless your soil is very 
sour, it will grow and thrive, if well inoculated, without any appUca- 










Mi 




«9^V 




Hail. 



I ' \iM.riin(_'iit Staticiii. 



32 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

tion of lime at all. Alfalfa and the clovers and certain other legumes 
must have lime. The lupins and velvet beans are distmctly injured 
by. lime, while the growth of hairy vetch, although lime will help it, 
is not seriously affected by more or less acidity in the soil. Another 
valuable asset in its favor, by the way. 

Yes, Sir, grow hairy vetch on your farm if you have any worn-out 
land or poor, sandy soil to build up. It will work like magic. 

On land so poor that corn is now almost a complete failure, hairy 
vetch and a careful treatment of the soil, as suggested^ above, will bring 
you astonishingly big yields of corn, potatoes, beans, buckwheat, straw- 
berries, truck crops, etc. 

The well-known writer, William C. Smith, of Delphi, Indiana, says : 
"Hairy Vetch is the greatest soil-builder ever discovered." 
With vetch and ditching I can reclaim any poor or worn- 
out soil." 

"With it the American farmer can make his soil produce as 

it has never produced since it was rescued from the wilderness." 

But hairy vetch, you must remember, makes no growth, no building 

material, it will not add an ounce of nitrogen to your soil, unless it is 

inoculated. 

Just how to inoculate hairy vetch and all legumes, is told in the suc- 
ceeding chapter. 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 33 



CHAPTER III. 



THE STORY OF ^^NITRAGIN^^ 

THE DISCOVERY OF INOCULATION— WHY DOES 
VETCH ENRICH SOIL— ALL HEALTHY LEGUMES HAVE 
NODULES— BACTERIA— HOW AND WHEN LEGUMES 
ENRICH SOIL— SOIL TRANSFER— DANGERS OF SOIL 
TRANSFER— PURE CULTURE—* ' NITRAGIN ' '— ' ' NITRA- 
GEN" A GOOD INVESTMENT— WHAT "NITRAGIN" 
WILL DO— GERMS INOCULATE LEGUMES. ONLY— HOW 
"NITRAGIN" IS APPLIED. 



The Discovery of Inoculation 

For ages man has known that vetch, instead of wearing out the 
soil very often makes it richer and more fertile than it was before. 
"Why ? Nobody knew. The secret never be- 
came known until about 25 years ago, and 
what led to its disclosure was this : In 1886 
a noted German scientist (Hellriegel) by 
experiments performed in the laboratory 
conclusively proved that when clover devel- 
oped certain bunches or nodules on its roots 
it could then make use of the nitrogen of the air for its own growth, 
and, furthermore, could add to the supply of this element of plant-food 
in that soil where it was growing. It had always been observed that 
a certain class of plants, the legumes, very frequently bore these little 
knots (nodules) on their roots. 



WHY DOES 
VETCH 
ENRICH SOIL? 



34: 



VETCH: "THB KING OF SOIL BUILDERS 




ALL 

HEALTHY 

LEGUMES 

HAVE 

NODULES 



Root of Sainfoin Showing Nodules. — 
From Bui. of Ont. Dept. Agrl. 



Further observation showed that 
whenever these knots M^ere found on 
the roots of 
legumes the 
plants were 
ni u c h m o r e 
vigorous a n d 
of greater val- 
ue as feed. 
Hellriegel and 
other scientists 
also observed that the greater the 
size and number of nodules on the 
roots of plants the more vigorous 
was the growth of these plants ; that 
those plants M'ithout nodules did not 
thrive well, but had a pale, sickly 
appearance. 
This scientist further discovered that these tubercles were filled 
with millions of germs, or bacteria, and that these bacteria feed the 

legume plants all the nitrogen they need ; 
that they then fill their tubercles full of 
nitrogen, and that they get their entire sup- 
ply, not from the soil, but from the air. In 
other words, Hellriegel discovered that Na- 
ture herself has a way of unlocking nitrogen from its vast reservoir, 
the atmosphere, and putting it where it will enrich the soil. She does 
it by means of certain germs that live in the roots of legumes. Practi- 
cally no other germs and no other farm plants but legumes have this 
wonderful power. It appears, too, that while there is but one species 
of nitrogen-gathering germs, yet each legume requires its particular 
kind, or strain. For instance, the germ that feeds vetch with nitro- 
gen from the air, differs from the germ that feeds the clover, etc. 

Thus Hellriegel taught the world why it is that vetch, clover, al- 
falfa and all other legumes enrich the soil. In partnership with these 

germs they tap the air for their nitrogen. 
They don't take it from the soil, the way 
wheat, corn and all non-leguminous plants 
must do. What is more, when a legume is 
cut or plowed under, its tubercles, of 
course, decay. What is the consequence? 
All the nitrogen stored up in the tubercles, 
together with millions of nitrogen-gathering germs, is distributed in 



BACTERIA 



HOW AND WHEN 
LEGUMES 
ENRICH SOIL 



V ETCH : "THE K I\ G F ft I L BUILDERS" 



35 



the soil. This gives the soil cnouph nitrog'en for the wheat, corn, oats, 
or any crop Avhich follows. This is wiiy you hear so much these days 
about plowing under legumes, or green-manuring, as it is called. 




'NITRAGIN" Soil Germs Magnified 
1,200 times. 




Rod Fonus of Bacteria from a 
Feuugreelj Nodule Magnified 

about 1.500 times. 
From Bui. of U. S. Dept. Agri. 



But many writers are apt to forget, and few farm owners seem to 
know, that getting nitrogen out of the air and putting it into the soil 
is a partnership affair; that a legume must have tubercles filled with 
certain germs, or else it robs the soil, the same as wheat and corn do; 
that to plow under a legume which has no tubercles adds no more 
nitrogen to the soil than it took out of the soil. So far as enriching the 
soil with more nitrogen is concerned, you might as well plow under 
barley or buckwheat, or any other non-leguminous crop. 



Soil Transfer 



When you see a farmer haul a wagon load of earth from some dis- 
tant farm where alfalfa has grown, and scatter it over one of his own 
fields in which he intends to plant alfalfa, you know now why he does 
it. Alfalfa stubbornly refuses to grow unless its partner, tlie alfalfa 
nitrogen-gathering germ, is in the soil. The soil must be what is 
termed inoculated. 

With his wagon loads of inoculated dirt from some other farm, the 
farmer hopes to secure enough alfalfa germs to inoculate his own soil. 
This method of soil inoculation is called soil transfer. 

Such a practice is laborious and expensive. You can see also that 



36 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



DANGERS OF 
SOIL TRANSFER 



it has clangers : the farmer is apt to secure more bad weeds than o-ood 

germs; and so often does he transfer to his 
own clean land pests and parasites that 
breed plant disease, the Department of Agri- 
culture repeatedly cautions against the prac- 
tice, except where the soil to be transferred 
is positively known to be clean and whole- 
some. The following quotations from Government Bulletins bear out 
the truth of the above claims regarding the soil transfer method of 
inoculation : 

"The danger in this method lies in the possibility of introducing weed 
pests or plant diseases through the agency of the old soil. 

"The most scientific method of inoculating the clover field is to 
' obtain a pure culture of clover bacteria and moisten the clover seed with 
it just before sowing." — From Farmers' Bulletin No. 323, published by 
the U. S. Department of Agriculture, May, 1908. 

"The old method of importing the bacteria by distributing soil from 
fields containing them is not only expensive, but there is very great 
danger of spreading weeds and destructive crop diseases, as well as the 
desirable bacteria. Under modem conditions, therefore, it is wisest to 
depend chiefly upon the intelligent manipulation of pure cultures for 
inoculating leguminous crops. 

"There are several insect and fungus diseases of clover to be 
avoided, and various diseases of beans and peas. There is also a disease 
of alfalfa, the 'leaf spot,' which is causing damage in some regions. 
These are only a few of many diseases liable to be transmitted in soils. 
The farmer sliould therefore be on his guard. The danger from such 
sources is by no means imaginary. The Department of Agriculture has 
had specific cases of such accidental distribution reported, and if the 
business of selling soil for inoculation is made to flourish by farmers 
purchasing without question 'alfalfa soil,' 'cow pea soil,' etc., there is 
every reason to believe that experience will demonstrate the folly of 
such haphazard methods." — U. S. Department of Agriculture, Farmers' 
Bulletin No. 315. 

Pure Culture 

In order that the world might get the full benefit of Hellriegel's 
great discovery, many scientists took up the study of legume bacteria. 
Instead of hauling soil from one field to another, why not breed strong, 
vigorous, nitrogen-gathering germs in the laboratory, and ship them 
straight to the farm? This was the question that first came to the 
minds of Nobbe and Hiltner, two noted German scientists. Years of 
study enabled them to put the idea into actual practice, and all lit- 
erature on this subject gives them due credit for it. By means of 
their pure-culture method of soil inoculation, the farmer can procure 
any amount of legume germs he wants, and sow them along with his 
legume seed. By this method he incurs none of the dangers of soil 
transfer, and he inoculates his soil in less time, with less labor, and 
at less expense. 



VETCH: "TEE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS 



37 



.Jt^^ 



''"He bacteRS''^ 

^'ONTAINED m THiS 

^r^ACKAGE ARE,^ 

guaranteed "t^' 

Retain their 

vitality and 

r'^ MONTHS FROri 
'^ATE OF SHIPMENT 



"NITRAGIN" 
A TRADE- 
MARK 



A Can of "NITRAGIN". 



Nobbe and Hiltner named 
their product ''NITRAGIN" 
( pronounc- 
ed Ni-tra- 
gene) which 
name they 
r e gistered 
all over 
the world 
as a trade-mark. It was reg- 
istered in the United States, 
December 6, 1898, as No. 32,- 
212. 

This product is now sold in 
all agricultural countries of the 
world. Last year (1912) in 
Germany alone, there were 
nearly a million acres of 
legumes inoculated with nitro- 
gen-gathering "NITRAGIN" 
germs. 



"Nitragin" A Good Investment 

There is no one thing the farm-owner can buy that will bring him 
larger and more lasting returns than "NITRAGIN." 

Nor is there a product anywhere that is indorsed and recommended 
by so many unbiased, disinterested and unquestionable authorities. 

The product ("NITRAGIN") is — simply Germs, or, in other words, 
bacteria. These Germs are bred in a laboratory, after which they are 
packed in tin boxes (along with foodstuff to keep them alive), and 

then they are shipped to the farm-owner. 

There is nothing mysterious about this, 
no more than there is about making yeast 
cakes, nor, for that matter, than breeding 
cattle or hogs or sheep and shipping them 
to market. 
In fact, this business has many features in common with the yeast 
maker's business. Both breed Germs and ship them to the market. 
Both send foodstuffs along to keep the Germs alive until they are used. 
Both try to breed healthy, strong, active Germs. Both breed specific 
kinds of selected pure-bred Germs for specific work. 



"NITRAGIN" 
NOT A MYSTERY 



38 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



The breeding of Germs has become as much a business, a science^ 
an economic necessity, as the breeding of stock, and both are equally 
recognized as legitimate enterprises. 



What "Nitragin" Will Do 

Generally speaking, it will do mankind more real lasting good than 
any product on the world's market. ^This fact has been already demon- 
strated by progressive American farm-owners, numbering thousands, 
and every day hundreds are being addisd to the list. 

Specifically, "NITRAGIN" Germs take nitrogen from the air and 




Convincing' proof of the effects of "NITRAGIN" germs on red 
clover. The plants are in the second vear of arrowth. Plant to the 
left treated with "NITRAGIN"; that to the right not treated. 

make it into a food for plants. ]\Iost farmers know that legumes are 
good green-manure crops. Many know that legumes help to enrich 
the soil. Some of them know that legumes bring nitrogen to the soiL 
But how many know that it is the legume GERM that has the power 
to take nitrogen out of the air and store it in the soil? 

The slogan, "Legumes are the salvation of the soil," is wrong, for 
legumes without the GERMS are as big soil robbers as oats, wheat, 
corn or cotton, or any other non-leguminous plant, and this is really 
the meat of the whole subject. It is the GERMS that do the work. 
It is the GERjMS that take the nitrogen out of the air. It is the 
GERMS that enrich the soil. 

You must know, however, that the Germs that perform this won- 
derful work must have the co-operation of the legumes. That they 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 39 



live and thrive on the roots of legume 
plants only, which, of course, is the reason 
why agricultural authorities all recommend 
the growing of legume crops. But you will 
now understand that these authorities 
should have gone a step farther and have 
urged farmers to grow inoculated legumes. 



GEBMS 
INOCULATE 
LEGUMES ONLY 



NINE FACTS 



And the slogan should be "Inoculated legumes are the salvation of the 
soil," or, to be more accurate, "Legume Germs are the salvation of 
the soil." 

You will now understand and appreciate the slogan, " 'NITRAGIN' 
the Salvation of the Soil," since "NITRAGIN" is simply the trade- 
name for the GERMS that live at the roots of the legumes, and it is 
these GERMS that make the soil richer by taking nitrogen from the 
air and storing it up in the soil. 

Scientists studied these germs or bacteria for years. They are still 
studying them, for these wonderful legume Germs are playing an im- 
portant part in the solution of man's might- 
iest problem — "How can the fertility of the 
soil be maintained?" 

Right here, let us give you nine facts 
which scientists have discovered concerning 
these great benefactors of Man — the nitrogen-gathering Germs: 

(1) The Germs live in the roots of legumes and will not live in the 
roots of any other farm plants. 

(2) These Germs make the legume plants healthier, hardier, deep- 
er-rooted, quicker of growth, and give them greater food value, since 
they contain more nitrogen (protein) than Germless legumes. 

(3) Legumes without these nitrogen-gathering Germs in their 
roots do not thrive well, and get all their nitrogen food out of the vege- 
table matter in the soil, the same as do oats, wheat, corn, etc. 

(4) Alfalfa and some of the clovers wither away and die, unless 
these GERMS are in their roots; at best they never produce a crop 
worth harvesting. 

(5) These Germs, in co-operation with legumes, build up worn- 
out land. 

(6) Legumes without these Germs never add an ounce of nitro- 
gen to the soil. 

(7) These Germs and legumes maintain soil fertility. 

(8) Legumes without these Germs, and all other crops (non- 
leguminous crops) rob the soil of its fertility. 

(9) Each different kind of legume (vetch, alfalfa, red clover, crim- 



40 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

son clover, cowpeas, soy beans, etc.) requires a different kind, or 
strain, of nitrogen-gathering Germs, 

You should grasp the above facts firmly, for they are strong, vital, 
fundamental truths. 

''NITRAGIN" is nothing more and nothing less than these nitrogen- 
gathering Germs, selected, cultivated, and pure-bred. Their scientific 
name all over the civilized world is the Bacillus radicicola. Their 
commercial name all over the civilized world is "NITRAGIN" (pro- 
nounced Nitra-gene). 

With the above facts in mind, ask yourself why you should plow 
under a legume crop for its nitrogen, unless it has these nitrogen- 
gathering Germs in the roots? Unless the crop is inoculated (or 
" NITRAGINED, " as farmers are beginning to call it) the green ma- 
nuring will not add an ounce of nitrogen to your soil. It will only put 
back what it took out of the land. 

You had far better plow under some crop the seed of which is 
Qheaper than the costly legume seed. 

But if you want a catch of alfalfa, clover, vetch, soy beans, etc., 
you must see to it that these legumes have "NITRAGIN" Germs in 
their roots. 

If you want greater fertility, instead of less, increased value of 
your land, rather than decreased, you should green-manure and rotate 
with some ' ' NITRAGINED ' ' legume plant. 

How "Nitragin" is Treated 

A legume becomes "Nitragined" -when its seeds are moistened with 
a mixture containing billions of the proper kind of legume, or "Nitra- 
gin," germs. Thousands of these tiny germs adhere to the surface of 
a single seed. The seeds are then spread over the floor to dry. When 
dry enough to handle, they are planted, along with their Germs, in the 
usual manner. (See pages 72 and 73.) 

The method is simple and comparatively inexpensive. It is the" 
common-sense, logical way of inoculating legumes. It is cheaper, 
easier, and surer than inoculating with wagon loads of borrowed 
legume earth and has none of its dangers. The "NITRAGIN" method 
is endorsed, recommended and encouraged everywhere by the highest 
agricultural authorities, including the United States Government, Ex- 
periment Stations, Soil Experts and Editors of best-known Farm pa- 
pers. "NITRAGIN" meets the great agricultural need of the hour- 
greater soil fertility. 

(The Galloway Brothers-Bowman Company of Waterloo, Iowa, 
U. S. A., is marketing this product in the United States and Canada. 
It is furnished to farmers at a cost of $2.00 an acre.) 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 41 



CHAPTER IV. 



Other Fertilizing Uses of 
HAIRY VETCH 



ORCHARD COVER CROPS— WHAT A COVER CROP IS 
—WHEN TO SOW A COVER CROP— WHAT A COVER 
CROP DOES— HUMUS FOR ORCHARDS— LEGUMES AS 
COVER CROPS— HAIRY VETCH AS AN ORCHARD COV- 
ER CROP— ON TOBACCO LANDS— FOR CORN— FOR PO- 
TATOES—FOR COTTON— HAIRY VETCH IN ROTATION 
—INOCULATION A VITAL NECESSITY 



WHAT A COVER 
CROP IS 



An orchard cover crop means any sort of annual crop which is 
planted among fruit trees during the summer, or early fall, and 

plowed under in the spring. It is grown 

solely for the benefit of the soil and the 
trees. A "catch crop," such as potatoes or 
corn, is different. When grown between 
orchard rows a catch crop may or may not 
benefit the land; it is grown mainly for it- 
self, for what it will produce. 

The name cover crop is derived from the fact that its seed, sown 
in late summer or early fall, results in a growth sufficient to cover and 
protect the ground during the winter. The cover crop is usually 
planted as soon as the trees have made their growth for the season; 
the growing cover crop uses the surplus moisture, and thus aids the 
trees to mature before cold weather comes on. 

A Cover crop should not, as a rule, be 

sown earlier than midsummer. The most 
thorough tillage can then be given early in 
the season, and the benefits of the Cover 
crop can be secured for the early fall and 
winter. 
A cover crop performs two important functions. 



WHEN TO SOW 
A COVER CROP 



WHAT A COVER 
CROP DOES 



42 Y ETCH: ''TEE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

(1) It directly improves the physical condition of the land : 

It holds the rains and snows until they have time to soak into the 

soil. 

It prevents hard soils from cementing or 
puddling. 

It dries out the soil in spring, making 
early tillage possible. 

It often serves as a protection from frost. 

(2) A cover crop also improves the chemipal condition of the soil : 
It adds humus. 

It renders plant foods available. 

It catches and holds some of the leaching nitrates. 

And, when the cover crop is an inoculated legxime, it takes nitro- 
gen from the air and adds it to the soil. 

The above shows a few of the many advantages of a cpver crop. 
Each suggests pages of discussion for which there is no room in this 
booklet. What is better than any discussion is a close, careful analysis 
of the particular needs of a given soil. 

All soils cannot be treated alike. All soils differ and are subject 
to different conditions. No one knows the nature and peculiarities of 
a given soil like the man who tills it, who comes in contact with it day 
after day. If this be true it follows that ever}" orchardist should 
study out and solve his own soil troubles; in this vital thing, as in most 
other things of this world, he can best work out his own salvation. He 
should be able to decide for himself Avhether the conditions of his par- 
ticular soil require a cover crop or not, and if so, what crop is best to 
grow. He will be better qualified to make this decision the more fa- 
miliarly he acquaints himself with the amount of fertility in his soil, 
its available moisture, its physical qualities, and the climatic condi- 
tions that surround him. No one kind of treatment is best for all 
orchards. 

Young and old trees differ in their food requirements. Young trees 
use their food supply in the formation of wood and leaves. They 
grow vigorously for the first two or three years and then, when the 
bearing period is reached, their growth is less rapid; a large portion 
of their food is diverted to fruit formation. The demands on the trees 
being different, the food supplied should be different in character. 
Young trees require a large amount of nitrogen, while bearing trees 
require relatively less nitrogen and more phosphoric acid and potash. 

It has been estimated that the value of nitrogen, phosphoric acid 
and potash used up by an acre of apple trees in twenty years, in fruit, 
is $147; in foliage, $160; in wood, $70; total, $377. Many old orchards 



HUMUS FOR 
ORCHARDS 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 43 

not only make this big demand on the soil, but it is often compelled 
to furnish hay or grain, or to fatten lambs and pigs. 

Five bushels of apples remove about 11 pounds of ^nitrogen, nearly 
1 pound of phosphoric acid, and 16 pounds of potash. The leaves of a 
tree large enough to produce the apples contain 10 pounds of nitro- 
gen, nearly 3 pounds of phosphoric acid, and 10 pounds of potash. 

When studying the physical and chemical needs of his orchard the 
orchardist should see that it is Avell supplied with humus. Orchards, 

the same as corn and wheat fields, lose their 
humus sooner than their mineral plant food. 
Without humus they become exhausted^ 
worn out; they cannot provide even the min- 
eral plant foods, for humus is the key that 
unlocks these elements, making them avail- 
able. Moreover, where humus is absent the light soils become lighter 
and clay soils become lumpy. Commercial fertilizers will not fill the 
bill ; the final and only remedy is to provide humus by growing cover 
crops. 

The Temarkable discovery that legumes have the power to take 
nitrogen froiv the air and add it to the soil has been a great boon for 

the orchardist as well as for t^e farmer. The 
I modern orchardist can quickly determine 
LEGUMES AS 1 the kind of cover crop his soil requires. If 

COVER CROPS it has a sufficient supply of nitrogen and 

plenty of humus, he uses some non-legume 
as a cover crop, such as oats, rye, millet and 
buckwheat. Of these, buckwheat is one of the best, sown not for grain, 
but to be plowed under in the spring. 

But, more often, the orchardist finds tbat his soil needs humus to 
feed the trees, and that nitrogen is needed to hasten their growth and 
to make the fruit plants grow more rapidly. When the nitrogen sup- 
ply is not sufficient, the leaves become yellow, the trees have a stunted, 
starved appearance and do not make a normal growth of branch and 
leaf. Here is where the legumes, the nitrogen gatherers, come in. 
They furnish a plentiful supply of humus, they furnish nitrogen at 
lowest cost, and at the same time they provide all the other money- 
saving qualities that any non-leguminous cover crop can possibly 
supply. 

It is very plain that the expensive commercial nitrogen need not be 
applied to orchards, but that the nitrogen should be supplied by some 
inoculated legume which, after it has fulfilled its work as a cover 



44 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



crop, is plowed under for the purpose of adding humus and nitrogen 
to the soil. 

Hairy Vetch as an Orchard Cover Crop 

Hairy vetch, when inoculated, ranks very high, if not first, among 
the more valuable legume cover crops for orchards. Its great ma- 
nurial value is shown in Table 1, page 9. Another thing in its 
favor is that it makes a heavy growth by early spring, so that it can 
be plowed under soon enough to get the ground in shape for the thor- 
ough pulverizing of its surface to prevent evaporation of moisture dur- 
ing the long, dry summer. Crimson clover and cowpeas do not make 
good winter growth where the climate is very severe and frosts are 
frequent. These legumes make a rapid growth in late spring, when 
there is plenty of heat and^oisture, but at that time it is often too 
late for ploAving under because the soil is too dry for their quick de- 
cay. When winters are at all severe the hardier legumes, such as 
hairy vetch, red clover, bur clover, and Canada field peas, make the 
best crops for green manuring orchards. 

The Cornell Station and many other scientific authorities, as well 
as a great number of successful orchardists throughout the country, 




Hairy Vetch Used as a Winter Cover Crop in Peach Orchards, Wiggins, 
Miss. Light 6andy Soil, 30 Miles from Gulf of Mexico. (Reproduced' by/ kind 
permission of The Practical Farmer.) 



VETCH: "THE KIXG OF SOIL BUILDERS" 45 

strongly recommend hairy vetch as a cover crop. It makes a remark- 
able cover, growings knee-high in a dense mat, and everywhere cover- 
ing the ground. It is strong and sturdy and is not injured by the 
trampling during harvest. It is adapted to all soils. Its close mass 
of herbage kills out weeds and holds the soil. IMoreover, inoculated 
hairy vetch Avill live through hard freezing weather and make a quick 
growth in the spring. 

The enormous increase in the use of hairy vetch as a cover crop for 
orchards the past few years bears witness to its practical importance. 
Every orchardist and fruit grower should give it a trial on part, at 
least, of his orchard. 

Wm. C. Smith, one of the best authorities on vetch in this country, 
writes : 

"It has been found that the vetch plant is the best all around plant 
for orchard growing, because it grows luxuriantly, furnishes a large sup- 
ply of organic matter, makes its growth quickly, and thus saves time 
and gathers nitrogen in vast quantities. And, then, it is an ideal orchard 
cover and green manuring crop to continue using during the life of the 
orchard, because it can be sown in the fall, when cultivation should 
cease in the orchard, affording a fine soil-covering plant, which prevents 
snow from drifting, and producing a large supply of organic matter for 
plowing under in the spring, when orchard cultivation should begin." 

In the Agricultural Epitomist of February, 1912, Mr. R. A. Smith 

saj's : 

"The department of agriculture of Washington states that a crop of 
vetch plowed under is worth $16 to $45 per acre as fertilizer. Its fertiliz- 
ing effect is felt the entire season and longer. There is nothing fruit 
growers can better invest money in than vetch; it will play a great part 
in making over our old orchards and vineyards and bringing them into 
greater productiveness." 

But it must be remembered that when vetch is recommended as a 
great nitrogen-gatherer, humus-maker and soil-builder, it is always 

assumed that the vetch is inoculated. If it 
is not inoculated vetch is forced to rob the 
soil for the nitrogen necessary for its 
growth just as corn or cotton ; and like corn, 
cotton and the cereals, it becomes an ex- 
haustive rather than a restorative crop, a 
soil-robber, instead of a soil-builder. To inoculate hairy Vetch, as you 
have already learned, simply consists in placing a supply of the right 
kind of germs (Hairy Vetch "NITRAGIN") on the hairy vetch seed; 
the "NITRAGIN "-treated seed are planted, the germs come in con- 
tact with fine, hair-like roots of the plant, in which they build their 
homes, called nodules or tubercles. In these tubercles, where they 
multiply into millions, they take free nitrogen from the air, a part of 
which is fed to the plant, the remainder, the surplus, enriches the soil. 



INOCULATION A 
VITAL NECESSITY 



46 VETCH: "THE K I ^' G OF SOIL BUILDERS'' 

It is a wise precaution to inoculate the vetches in all instances. On 
land where they have not been previously grown, inoculation is a pos- 
itive necessity. 

Hairy Vetch on Tobacco Lands 

No tobacco grower need be told of the tremendous loss of plant 
food that results from the soil lying bare for nearly nine months after 
the tobacco has been harvested in August, or thereabouts. There is. 
leaching and drifting of the surface soil, to say nothing of the heavy 
fall and spring rains on sloping land, that may badly wash and gully 
the fields. 

This leaching and washing of the soil involves not only a waste of 
the costly manure and fertilizer which the tobacco grower applies to- 
his fields every year, but it is a useless, preventable waste of the soil's, 
natural fertility. In time it will impoverish the richest kind of soil, 
and all the sooner, where one crop, like tobacco, for instance, is suc- 
cessively cropped, year after year. 

The one, in fact, the only preventive is the right kind of cover crop. 
All tobacco growers know this, usually from bitter experience, and 
the question with them is which cover is best? 

Any good cover crop will help eliminate the twofold waste, espe- 
cially the loss of plant food. But the ideal cover crop will do more 

than this, it will do a thing of vital import- 
ance to the tobacco grower, it will not only 
prevent leaching away of valuable plant 
foods, but it will make the soil richer and 
more fertile every year, instead of exhaust- 
ing it and wearing it out. This means big- 
ger and better yields at a lessened cost of production. 

Rye is often used as a cover crop. Is it the ideal one? Is it the- 
money saver and money maker we are looking for? No, it comes far 
from filling the bill. On some lands it winter-kills badly. Then again 
on other lands you will find that it dries out the soil too much, espe- 
cially if allowed to get too high in the spring. Another bad feature 
about it is that when plowed under it does not decay quickly, and this, 
alone, is enough to condemn it for tobacco lands. The slow decay of 
rye is harmful; it impairs the capillary action of the soil, leaving it too- 
dry and loose for the young tobacco plants. In such a condition the 
soil yields up its plant food too slowly. No, rye is not the thing for 



RYE ON 
TOBACCO LANDS 



VETCH: "THE KI^G OF SOIL BUILDERS" 47 



CLOVER FOR 
TOBACCO LANDS 



tobacco lands. In fact, where it makes a strong growth in the spring 
it may do more harm than good. 

Many clovers and other legumes have been tried witliout much 
success. Failure has been due chiefly to the fact that most of these 

crops require two seasons to reach their full 
development. This, of course, is a great 
handicap. The ideal cover crop should be 
sown in August or September and be ready 
to be plowed under about the first of May. 
Then, again, tobacco growers in the more 
northern regions, particularly in Connecticut, complain that the clo- 
sers, in many instances, have winter-killed after a good stand was 
secured. Others complain that in many cases it is difficult to get a 
good stand in the fall. 

While there is no doubt but what, if proper precautions were tak- 
en and the seed well inoculated with "NITRAGIN," the danger of 
"winter-killing would be greatly lessened and a good catch insured, the 
fact remains that the clovers make too slow a growth to ever become 
of great value as tobacco cover crops. Their place is in rotation with 
tobacco, not as cover crops. 

Are we not already sufficiently familiar with the qualities of hairy 
Tetch to see that it is pre-eminently fitted to fill the bill as a tobacco 

cover crop? Is it not the ideal money saver 
and money maker for which tobacco grow- 
ers for years have been looking? Many to- 
bacco growers will agree that this is true. 
Many of them have discovered the fact from 
personal experience, and their number is 
increasing all the time. 
Here are the assets in its favor. Can any other crop compete with 
it? Hairy vetch is a hardy plant that resists cold, heat, and drought. 
It covers the ground with a heavy matlike growth, which makes it an 
ideal preventive of erosion from wind or water and leaching of plant 
foods. When plowed under it decays rapidly. It occupies the land 
during fall, winter and spring. Then add to these ideal qualities the 
crowning fact that hairy vetch is a great humus maker and nitrogen 
gatherer, and its advantages over any other cover crop becomes pretty 
clearly established. 



HAIRY VETCH 
THE IDEAL 
COVER CROP 



48 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

HAIRY VETCH 

on Wisconsin Tobacco Lands 



Writing on cover crops for tobacco, E. P. Sandsten, Horticulturist 
of the Wisconsin Experiment Station, says in Bulletin No. 124, of that 
station : 

"In planning tobacco experiments it occurred to the writer that cover 
crops might be used as a means of partially maintaining the fertility 
of the tobacco lands and improving the physical condition of the soil. 
* * * The crop used for this purpose was hairy vetch (vicia villosa). 
This plant belongs to the legume family and is perfectly hardy. It was 
sown the last week in July, at the time when the tobacco plants were 
cultivated for the last time. An examination of the fields in November 
this year showed that the vetch had completely covered the soil where 
the tobacco stood. Being hardy, the plant will keep on growing until 
stopped by a heavy frost, and remain green during the entire winter, and 
start to grow again early in the spring, forming a dense mat of green 
herbage, which can be plowed under in time to use the land for another 
crop of tobacco. Not only does this plant furnish protection for the soil 
during the winter, and yield a large amount of vegetable matter, thus 
improving the physical condition of the soil; but like other legumes, it 
is capable of assimilating atmospheric nitrogen, by the aid of bacteria 
which live on the roots, and which make it available for the plant, thus 
being a soil, improver and fertilizer at the same time. 

Vetch on Kentucky Tobacco Lands 

The following is quoted from the twenty-second annual report of 
the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station for 1909, in which 
green manure crops are discussed: 

"Leguminous crops are valuable aside from the nitrogen and humus 
they add to the soil. Like clover, most of them root deeply and bring 
up the mineral elements of fertility from the lower depths of the soil, 
and when they are turned under, this matter is left in available form, 
and in reach of the more shallow-rooted crop. * * * 

"It has been stated that the legumes are enabled to use the nitrogen 
of the atmosphere through the agency of bacteria living on the roots of 
the plant. The bacteria in some way, through their activity and multi- 
plication, produce nodules or tubercles, little growths very much resem- 
bling warts. In the absence of nodules, it is safe to assume that the 
plant is getting its nitrogen from the soil rather than from the atmos- 
phere." • "^ 

Vetch on Connecticut Tobacco Lands 

Perhaps the most interesting report and most valuable experiments 
with hairy vetch as a cover crop for tobacco fields have been conducted 
in Connecticut. The Bureau of Plant Industry, United States De- 
partment of Agriculture, Circular No. 15, was written by T. R. Rob- 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 49 



inson, Assistant Physiologist, Soil Bacteriology Investigations. We 
quote some of the results reported in that circular : 

"In connection with the introduction of a leguminous cover crop of 
tobacco lands in Connecticut it became at once desirable to know 
to what extent such a crop would lessen the need for fertilizers, espe- 
cially those supplying nitrogen. Many experiments, mainly based on 
analyses of legumes, might be cited to show the amount of nitrogen 
which legumes furnish to a succeeding crop. * * * 



ADAPTABILITY OF HAIRY VETCH TO TOBACCO FIELDS 

"Mr. A. D. Shamel, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, published in 
1905, in co-operation with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Sta- 
tion, the preliminary facts in regard to 'a new and valuable cover crop 
for tobacco fields,' namely, Russian or hairy vetch (vicia villosa). This 
legume was found to be resistant to cold, heat and drought; occupied 
the ground during the fall, winter, and spring; decayed rapidly when 
turned under; and enriched the soil by its ability to 'fix' or utilize the 
atmospheric nitrogen when properly inoculated — that is, when the bac- 
teria were present to cause the formation of root nodules. Unless the 
bacteria were artificially supplied it was found that the desired inocula- 
tion was lacking or very tardy on the tobacco lands of the Connecticut 
Valley." 

(Note that these scientific authorities declare that Vetch must be 
inoculated.) 

WHEN TO SOW.— Hairy vetch is sown in the tobacco field at the 
time of the last cultivation, or very soon after the harvest. If sown 
while the tobacco is still standing, a cultivator should be run over 
lightly to cover in the seed. It is usually best not to cover the seed 
deeper than one to one and one-half inches. If buried deeper than 
this the seed may fail to germinate from lack of air. 

If the vetch is sown"^fter the harvest it will be found advantageous 
to disk the field or run over it with a spring-tooth harrow, the seed 
being broadcasted and then harrowed in. 

Hairy vetch is a rapid grower and especially hardy, so that it is 
usually safe on the northernmost tobacco fields, to plant as late as the 
middle of September, while on tobacco fields further south the crop 
may be sown considerably later. 

AMOUNT OF SEED TO SOW. A heavy seeding is usually desira- 
ble because a greater quantity of organic matter can be secured. It is. 
possible, however, to get very good results on most soils by seeding 
at the rate of 35 pounds to the acre of vetch, putting in a half peck of 
rye to give the vetch vines something to cling to in order to keep them 
off the ground. It may be desirable in certain cases to use as many 
as 50 pounds of vetch seed to the acre. 

The soil-enriching properties of hairy vetch are never more clearly 



HAIRY VETCH 
FOR CORN 



50 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

and profitably demonstrated than when it is sown in corn at the last 

cultivation. "When inoculated, it will grow 
rapidly on the poorest sort of sand land. By 
winter the ground will be completely cov- 
ered with its matted vines, so there is no 
leaching of plant foods or washing of the 
soil. Its roots will be thick with nodules 
which the legume germs have filled with nitrogen and early in the 
spring, before any other kinds of grass or vegetation have begun to 
grow, the vetch plants will push out their summer foliage, and by the 
first of May they will be three and often four feet in length. 

In its growth the vetch will assimilate considerable quantities of 
plant foods that have previously been applied to the corn in the way 
of fertilizer; also unused plant food which the cultivation and growing- 
of the corn have made available in the soil, and which would otherwise 
be lost by leaching. The worst thing about leaching is that the nitro- 
gen and mineral plant foods it carries away are available, and in the 
very best form as food for plants ; otherwise, they could not be so easily 
carried away, and thus this loss leaves the soil poorer, with its remain- 
ing plant foods in a less useful form. To check this waste from leach- 
ing is one of the main reasons for growing a cover crop. It conserves 
soil fertility and cuts down fertilizer bills. The latter is a big item^ 
especiall}^ where much costly manure and commercial fertilizers are 
used. 

While the loss from leaching of the minerals, phosphoric acid and 
potash, which exist in fixed compounds in the soil, is very great, it is 
undoubtedly much less than the loss of nitrogen. Nitrogen is more 
elusive, as well as more expensive, than the others; in the soil today, 
tomorrow it may be on its way to the ocean. Vetch, as a cover crop,, 
checks this waste of previous plant foods, and when plowed under 
adds nitrogen, which it has taken from the air, to the soil. 

Thus, hairy vetch saves fertility. But its great function is not to 
save, it is to create fertility. When, at the last cultivation, it is plant- 
ed in corn this year and plowed under next spring, the crop-producing^ 
power of your soil becomes greater; you grow more corn next year. 
On land where corn has been almost a failure, hairy vetch has built it 
up so that the first year it yielded 40 bushels to the acre. In fact, it is 
not unusual to hear vetch enthusiasts tell of corn after vetch yielding- 
an increase of 80, 90 and 100 per cent. 

One vetch enthusiast writes : 

"I plowed under a fine crop of well inoculated hairy vetch 



VETCH: ''THE KI^G OF SOIL BUILDERS"' 



51 



and planted to field corn. The corn produced over 90 bushels 
to the acre, an increase of over 100 per cent." 
In his article, called "Tonics for Sandy Soils," printed in the No- 
vember 23, 1912, issue of the Country Gentleman, J. Russell Smith 
very graphically tells the reader how to build up sandy soil : 

"Sow vetch in your corn the last time you plow it. Inocu- 
late your vetch, then let it alone for a whole season. Let it rest 
in the o-ood old wav. That vetch will mat itself and cover the 
ground by the end of May, it will die in July, and the second 
crop from its seed will come up in September and by plowmg 
time the second year you will have one of the biggest sods that 
was ever plowed in Delaware. Vetch has lumps of nitrogen on 
its roots about as big as broom-corn seed, and lots of them. The 
com that will follow this dose will make you thmk you have 
inherited money." 
Every corn grower who is not growing lOO bushels of corn to the 
acre should give this soil-builder a tryout. He shoiUd begin ..th a 
few acres and by comparative tests see what it will do. ^^ ^^ J^^ ; 
well inoculated, the writer believes that the experiment -^H^^t onb 
prove that hairy vetch is the thing to fill the corn-crib to overflowing, 
but that it is one green-manure crop with which to build up soil- 
fertility for all crops. ' 

Potato growers are learning the value o£ keepino; the S'-o"'«"=<'';;- 
ered with growing erops over winter to be turned "-1"^*'- J^^' °;; 

ing spring as green-manure. An excellent 

practice is to sow hairy vetch in corn, to be 
followed by potatoes. The vetch will pre- 
vent the leaching of plant foods and fine 
particles of soil. It will clean and purify 
the soil and build it up. This is vital when 



HAIRY VETCH 
FOR POTATOES 



^.e stop to think that the yield' and quality of the potato depend almost 
directly upon the fertility of the soil. 

We have seen that hairy vetch not only saves nuich of the available 
plant food already in the soil, but that, when turned under, it quickly 
^dds a liberal quantity of available plant food, particularly nitrogen^ 
Now. every potato grower knows that there is no farm crop in the 
world that is so grateful for available plant food, no crop that so 
readily respond to available plant food, as the potato. 

Potatoes are great feeders on nitrogen and potash. They con.ime 
,nore nitrogen than corn. They also require — \-f ^/^ ^ f ^^^ '^ ^ 
acid Hence it is that the amount of these essential foods that is 



52 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

available in the soil, especially in sections of the country where the 
growing season is limited, is a matter of the utmost importance. 

Here, again, vetch fills the bill. 

Grow vetch and get more and better potatoes. Supplement the 
vetch, of course, with whatever mineral plant food your soil needs, 
whether phosphorus or potash, or both. 

The Aroostook farmer in northern Maine is not satisfied unless he 
gets a yield of from 225 to 300 bushels per acre. His potatoes are 
grown on limestone soils, some strongly so, and it is his custom to 
grow them in a short rotation, so as to plant on clover sod. He will 
tell you that any rotation without clover, or some other thrifty legume, 
would cut down his enormous yields tremendously. 

Clover, no doubt, is excellent, in fact, clover, vetch, or some other 
legume should always precede potatoes. In its Correspondence Cir- 
cular No. 8, the Colorado Experiment Station says : 

"Potatoes should follow potatoes only once, or possibly in rare in- 
stances the third time on very rich, mellow soil. Potatoes should not be 
planted in all more than two or three times on new ground until after 
some legume has been grown. We have potato regions in Colorado — 
once producing potatoes by the trainload, that now produce none, because 
they could not, or would not, grow legumes." 

On sandy soils that are extremely deficient in humus, inoculated 
hairy vetch will grow and thrive better than any other legume, and 
give the potato grower bigger and. quicker returns. 

A potato crop needs no application of barnyard manure when a 
green-manure crop is turned under. Manure, as well as lime, often 
makes soil conditions that favor the development of the fungus which 
causes potato scab, and for this reason it should not be applied when 
preparing land for potatoes. Furthermore, many authorities, includ- 
ing the United States Department of Agriculture (Farmers' Bulletin 
472), claim that the turning- under of a green manure tends to prevent 
the development of the scab fungus. 

Every potato grower anxious to grow bigger and better crops will 
find that the best previous crop is inoculated clover, or vetch. They 
root deeply, thus loosening and aerating the soil to a great depth. 
They add much nitrogen and humus and do not form a heavy sod, 
difficult to work up. They are usually free from wepds, which is im- 
portant ; the cleaner the ground, the lower the cost of production. 

But as a green-manure for potatoes, especially on soil that is un- 
friendly to clover, hairy vetch is the ideal crop. 

If you are a potato grower you should grow inoculated hairy vetch 
or clover. To keep in step with the big strides which the modern 
successful potato grower is taking, you must grow one of the legumes. 



HAIRY VETCH 
FOR COTTON 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 53 

SO why not pick out one that has so many remarkable qualities in its 
favor — hairy vetch? 

Hairy vetch is fast increasing in popularity among cotton growers, 
who have been compelled to turn to the various nitrogen-furnishing 

crops for assistance in their fight for soil 

fertility. This popularity is well founded. 
Planted in cotton at the last plowing it will 
take possession of the land when the cotton 
is removed and will continue to grow dur- 
ing the winter months, thus preventing the 
leaching away of the nitrates- already in the soil, and adding new ni- 
trogen from the atmosphere. 

Vetch may be successfully grown on any soils of the South where 
cotton and corn grow and on soils entirely too poor for either of these 
crops. It will thrive better on thin sandy soil than cowpeas. 

The following excerpt is taken from an article by Alex D. Hudson, 
in the Progressive Farmer, dated August 17, 1912 : 

"I have yet to find the kind of land that will not grow vetch success- 
fully, always provided you inoculate for it. I have been growing vetch 
for a number of years, but never take in a new field without Inoculating 
before sowing. I have made complete failures without inoculation on 
fields adjacent to the ones that had been growing vetch. I never seed 
vetch after October 20, and never use any but the hairy variety. 

"We are running a three-year rotation, the farm being divided into 
three great fields, the rotation being cotton, corn, oats and vetch, fol- 
lowed by peas. This year is the first that cotton has come since the 
rotation began. We have cut out nitrogen entirely upon 60 per cent of 
our cotton, only using it where the soil was badly worn. The cotton is 
growing off fine and is now lapping in four-foot rows. There are fields 
adjacent, where the owner has simply run all cotton, that will not aver- 
age one-third the size, and he has used a complete fertilizer. With an- 
other round of the rotation I will cut out all nitrogen on my corn. I 
have found it more profitable to grow vetch and oats than cotton, and 
at the same time the improvement to my soil is simply wonderful. Any- 
one that win follow this rotation will be able to cut down more than half 
of his fertilizer bill." 

Hairy vetch and cowpeas prove a desirable mixture for a green- 
manure crop, since it permits a greater accumulation of nitrogen and 
humus than is possible when but one of these crops is grown. Where 
the mineral plant foods are not deficient these two crops will add 100 
pounds or more of nitrogen to the soil per acre. 

Prof. E. R. Lloyd, of the Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Sta- 
tion, reports an instance of a cotton grower who uses hairy vetch and 
cowpeas, in a manner as profitable as it is unique: 

This cotton grower began with sowing hairy vetch broad- 
cast in his cotton at the last plowing. 

The following spring the old cotton stalks were left stand- 



54 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



ing, the new rows of cotton being planted in the middles, which 
were bedded np in the usual manner. 

When the vetch had made seed, the stalk cutter was run 
over the old rows and they Avere then plowed out and cowpeas 
planted in their place. 

The field was then cultivated between the cotton and the 
cowpea rows. 

In the autumn the vetch sprang up again and grew during 
the winter, the cowpeas being left to decay. 

The following spring the cotton rows followed the old cow- 
pea rows, and the vetch was left to seed on the old cotton stalks 
as before. 
This method requires that the cotton rows should be about five 
feet apart, but the cotton grower who practices it assured Professor 
Lloyd that his yield of cotton had doubled in the three years since the 
practice vs^as started. This practice is particularly called to the atten- 
tion of those who grow cotton continuously on the same land, and this 
■class includes the vast majority of cotton growers. 

Whether the above practice appeals to you or not, if you grow cot- 
ton you owe it to yourself and to your cotton land to give inoculated 
hairy vetch a fair trial as a direct profit-making means of doubling 
your present yield, and at the same time increase, rather than de- 
crease, the crop-producing power of your land. 

Hairy Vetch in Rotation 

Long before they knew why, many farmers learned from observa- 
tion and experience that a rotation of different crops often increased 
crop productions, whereas one crop grown year after year on the same 
soil, diminished the supply of available plant food and decreased crop 
production. Today we understand fairly well the reasons underlying 
crop rotation, although it has some advantages not as clear to us as 
doubtless they will be some day. 

There is one thing we all agree upon, whether we are farming in 
Maine or California, Minnesota or Texas, and that is that if we grow 
a hoed crop or a grain crop, year after year, on the same soil its or- 
ganic matter gradually becomes less, and sooner or later, the soil be- 
comes wornout and worthless. This leads us to a further agreement: 
the supply of the soil's organic matter must be kept up and this can 
only be accomplished by the use of green-crop manures and farm 
manure in a rotation. 

Here is another vital point concerning crop rotation we should all 



V ETCH: "TH E K 1 1\- G OF SOIL BUILDERS" 56 

know, and that is that in every rotation a shallow-rooted nitrogen- 
consuming crop should follow a deep-rooted nitrogen-furnishing crop. 

In other words, some inoculated legume should suj^ply the humus, the 
nitrogen, and, indirectly, the moisture required by the money crop 
which follows it. In fact, in every rational method of farming the 
legumes should be made to supply the needs of the non-legumes. The 
crops should follow each other in such succession that each crop will 
naturally pave the way for the next one that follows, or, at least, not 
place the succeeding crop at a disadvantage. 

The crops in a rotation should be those that are well adapted to the 
particular soil and climate. 

Cash crops, like corn, wheat, and potatoes, make a heavy draft 
upon fertility and need to be preceded in rotation by some thrifty 
legume that will not only abundantly supply them with humus and 
nitrogen, but, at the same time, build up and maintain the soil's fer- 
tility. 

"What better legume is there to feed the non-legumes in a rotation 
than hairy vetch? It commends itself, as we have already seen, in 
many practical, profitable ways, especially on badly run-down soils 
and wherever clover has ceased to make a thrifty growth. 

On some soils it is possible to grow a wheat or a corn crop each 
year, if vetch is grown as a catchcrop. Unlike clover, vetch will 
thrive year after year on the same soil.-' 

In some potato-growing sections it is l)ecoming quite a common 
practice to grow potatoes year after year, seeding to hairy vetch after 
the removal of the crop in August, and plowing the vetch down early 
in the spring. This, and similar close rotations, necessarily demands 
that available plant-food be freely supplied. 

Whatever crop rotation you employ, never forget this: your rota- 
tion must give prominence to at least one legume crop or your cash 
crops will soon wear out your soil. 

Simply a rotation is not enough. Nor is it sufficient to grow clover 
.or vetch and sell the hay ; nor will it build up soil fertility to feed the 
legumes and waste the stable manure. 

You must realize, if your yields per acre are diminishing, instead 
of increasing, that your soil must be fed the entire legume crop. It 
will not fatten on the crumbs from your legume table. It is hungry. 
Give it a good square meal. Plow under the legume and give your 
soil an abundance of organic matter it can easily and quickly digest; 
food that will make soil-flesh; food that will absorb three times its 
weight in water; food that will warm np the hungry soil nnd put new 
life and blood in its veins, 



56 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

In every rotation, in every method of farming, you can dispense 
with many of the legumes all the time. You can dispense with all the 
legumes part of the time. But it is as sure as fate that if you expect 
to keep up the present productiveness of your farm (to say nothing of 
increasing its producing power) you cannot exclude the growing of all 
the legumes all the time. 

Rotate, by all means. It cleans, stimulates, and encourages the 
soil ; but in every rotation you should grow clover, vetch, or some other 
legume. Preferably. well inoculated hairy vetch, if your soil is hungry 
for moisture, humus, and nitrogen. 



VETCH: "TEE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" hi 



CHAPTER V. 



COMMON VETCH 
and Other Vetches 

VARIETIES— WHERE COMMON VETCH THRIVES 
BEST— IN OREGON— IN CALIFORNIA— IN SOUTHERN 
STATES — IN NORTHERN STATES — SOIL REQUIRE- 
MENTS— AS FEED— METHOD OF SOWING— TIME OF 
SOWING— RATE OF SEEDING— HARVESTING FOR HAY 
—HARVESTING FOR SEED— COMMON VETCH IN ROTA- 
TION—COMMON VETCH SEED— ADULTERATION OF 
VETCH SEED— OTHER IMPORTANT VETCHES— BLACK 
BITTER — PURPLE — SCARLET — WOOLLY-PODDED 
VETCH— SOME VALUABLE VETCH DON'TS. 



The common vetch is an annual with much the same habit of the 
garden or English pea, but the stems are more slender and usually 

taller, growing 3 to 5 ft., or more in length. 
The pods of the common vetch are brown 
and bear four or five seeds. These pods pop 
open easily and discharge their seed. 



VARIETIES OF 
COMMON VETCH 



There are numerous varieties of common vetch distinguished mainly 
by the color and size of the seeds, such as brown vetch, gray vetch, 
pearl vetch, etc. Then there are both spring and winter strains of 
common vetch ; they are distinguished in European agriculture as 
spring vetch and winter vetch. Sometimes common vetch is called 
Oregon winter vetch due to the fact that so much of the seed is grown, 
in Western Oregon, where it is usually sown in the Fall. To distin- 
guish it from hairy vetch common vetch is also known as smooth vetch 
and sometimes it is called English vetch. The grey-seeded varietj'' of 
common vetch is the one most cultivated in the United States. 

Where Common Vetch Thrives Best 

The most extensive area in this country where common vetch has 
become well established as a farm crop is Willamette Valley of Oregon, 

which lies between the Cascade Mountains 
and the Coast Range. This valley forms the 
largest agricultural region of Western Ore- 
gon. It is about 40 miles wide and 150 miles 
long. Common vetch is grown very gener- 
ally over this entire area, replacing red 
clover to some extent as it seems to thrive better unless land plaster is 
used on the clover. 



IN 
OREGON 



58 VETCH: "THB KING OF 80IL BUILDERS" 

In Oregon the common vetch is seldom sown in the spring for spring- 
sown common vetch succeeds only where the summers are fairly cool; 
hot humid weather being injurious to it. Fall sowing gives best results. 
The yield is about 10 bushels of seed per acre. For seed it is sown 
either alone or with fall sown oats. AVhen sown alone II/2 to 2 bushels 
of seed are used per acre ; with oats, a bushel of oats and a bushel of 
vetch are used. Wheat, rye and barley may be used in combination 
with vetch, but oats are preferable not only on account of the superior 
quality of oat hay, but from the further IsCtt that where a seed crop 
is grown the oat seed can be easily separated from the vetch seed, 
while there is greater difficulty with rye, wheat or barley. It is often 
sown alone for common vetch has stiff er stems than hairy vetch. When 
it stands up, it may be cut with a binder unless the growth is very 
thick. If it falls down, as it often does, or if the growth is particularly 
heavy, the vetch is cut with a mower. 

In the Oregon foothills where the drainage is good and the amount 
of winterkilling small, it is customary to sow 60 pounds of seed to the 
acre. If a mixture is sown, it varies from 30 pounds of vetch and 20 
pounds of oats to double this amount. In the valley lands, Avhere a 
certain amount of loss is likely from winterkilling, especially where 
the soils become wet, a larger quantity is sown. In combination with 
oats, 60 pounds of vetch and 40 pounds of oats are most commonly 
planted. The same rate of seeding is used as a rule whether the crop 
is grown for hay or for seed. 

The chief market for Oregon vetch seed is right at home, for many 
farmers sow vetch while very few grow their own seed. Certain quan- 
tities of Oregon grown seed are shipped East every year, but as a 
rule most of the seed used in the East comes from Europe, because the 
European seed is usually much cheaper. 

Common vetch is the most extensively grown green-manuring crop 
in California. You will find it grown throughout the orchard sections 

wherever green-manure crops are grown at 
all. It is adapted to quite varying condi- 
tions and succeeds in all sections of the state. 
It makes a good growth and does well on 
both the light and heavy soil. 
Orchardists in California are growing common vetch in preference 
to field peas which were largely grown a few years ago. There, it is 
also of much greater importance than the other green-manure crops, 
bur clover, fenugreek and Indian melilot. 

This is not to be wondered at for vetch has certain qualities superior 
to the others, qualities that make it particularly suitable for green- 



IN 
CALIFORNIA 



VETCH: "THE KING OF HOIL BUILDERS" 59 



manure purposes. It not only yields a large tonnage, but groAvs well in 
the cool weather of winter, permitting it to be plowed under early in 
spring. Then again, when picking fruit and doing other work, the un- 
avoidable trampling interferes but little with the growth of the vetch. 

In Southern California common vetch when used as a green-manure 
is usually sown during September and the first half of October. Better 
results, however, are being secured with the earlier seedings and it is 
often good policy to sow during the first half of September. Sown this 
early the plants make a good growth before cold weather sets in and 
continue to grow during the winter. When sown late the plants often 
make but a small growth before the cold weather ; they then make no 
growth, to speak of, until the latter part of winter when the warmer 
weather appears. 

The rate of seeding varies from 40 to 60 pounds per acre. Forty 
pounds per acre is generally recommended, but the heavier seeding is 
giving much better crops and more than makes up for the difference in 
the cost of the seed. Early as well as heavy seeding is the practice 
among many growers and is bringing best results. Deeper seeding, 
too, has been found profitable where the plantings are early. 

In Northern California, under irrigation, vetches should be sown 
about the first of October. They will then make sufficient growth to be 
turned under in February or March. This later season of planting in 
the Northern part of the state is desirable in both citrus and deciduous 
orchards on account of the heavy winter rainfall which prevents turn- 
ing under the crop as early as in the Southern section. Vetch will 
make but little growth by February or March when sown in the Fall 
without irrigation. 

Orchardists in California, and in every State in the Union, are 
growing more and more alive to the many values of green-manuring. 
These values are shown in the improved condition of the soil, the more 
thrifty appearance of the trees, in the improved quality of the fruit 
and the increased yield. Orchards with unthrifty trees, with sickly, 
yellowish-colored leaves soon brighten up and take on a new lease of 
life, showing a decided improvement in color, general appearance and 
vigor, better yields, following a few years of careful, intelligent green- 
manuring. Green-manuring lessens. the chances of the trees becoming 
diseased. The California experiment station has demonstrated that 
gummosis of citrus trees is brought on by unfavorable soil conditions 
and that green-manures serve a useful purpose in remedying this dis- 
ease. In orchards that have been green-manured any length of time 
this disease is seldom found. 

As I have stated, green-manuring greatly improves the soil. Heavy 



60 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

soils become open and friable and sandy soils more loamy. In Cali- 
fornia and elsewhere men handling orchards have learned that soils 
lacking in organic matter and humus wash easily, that they have little 
power to conserve moisture and that they are invariably "nitrogen 
hungry"; they are lacking in that precious plant food, nitrogen. They 
have learned that green-manuring their orchards will supply the soil 
with both humus and nitrogen providing the crop turned under is an 
inoculated legume with a heavy vegetable growth. Where orchardists 
have not learned this valuablie lesson from actual experience it is taught 
them by the best authorities in the country. For instance, you will find 
this paragraph on page 11 of Bulletin No. 190, United States Depart- 
ment of Agriculture: 

"A green-manure crop should be a legume wherever possible, 
in order to obtain the addition of nitrogen to the soil. It is also 
necessary that a good growth be made, in order to have a large 
quantity of organic matter to turn under and incorporate with 
the soil. Along with good growth should be a heavy develop- 
ment of nodules on the roots, as this is believed to indicate g^eat 
ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen." 
In California statistics prove that of the green-manure legume crops 
commonly grown there, such as vetch, peas, burr clover, and fenugreek, 
the inoculated vetch returns the most organic matter and adds the 
greatest amount of nitrogen to the soil. 

Common vetch is largely grown as a winter crop in the Southern 
States, usually with oats, rye, or barley. I don't believe that, as a rule, 

the yield is as great in the South as it is in 

the Pacific States where the average is about 

21/2 tons per acre. The reason for this may 

lie in the fact that in the south less seed is 

usually sown, about 40 or 45 pounds of vetch 

and 8 to 10 pounds of oats to the acre. 

In the Southern States oats and common vetch should always be 

sown in the fall, October being the best month, though the planting 

may be delayed till the middle of December. For green-manuring 

early fall planting is recommended. 

I don't believe that in the South the average yield of vetch seed to 
the acre has been estimated. Five bushels is considered a very low 
yield and 25 bushels a very high one. The average, I should say, is 
around 12 and 14 bvishels. 

In Georgia vetch has become an important crop especially in the 
Savannah River bottom near Augusta, There it is principally grown 
as a winter hay crop, usually with oats. The variety most used is the 



IN THE 
SOUTHERN STATES 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL B UILDERS" 61 



61 



common vetch, often called Oregon vetch since it is the same variety 
as that grown in Oregon. This hay commands a good price as feed 
for horses and other kinds of stock. 

In other points in the South, including South Carolina, Alabama, 
Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas, common vetch is securing a 
stronger foothold every year. But it should be remembered that 
common vetch will not ordinarily withstand more cold than 15° above 
zero, Fahrenheit, while hairy vetch is so hardy it can be grown almost 
anywhere in the United- States. 




Map of the united States, Showing the Regions Suited to the Fall Seeding: of Com- 
mon Vetch. (From Bui. No. 515 of the U. S. Dept. of Agri.) 

Common vetch succeeds wherever Canada field peas do well. Where 
the winters are severe it must be planted in the spring. To provide 

pasture the spring vetch is usually sown with 
some cereal, such as oats or barley. Wher- 
ever climate conditions enable it to grow 
successfully, common vetch is found superior 
to hairy vetch in providing soiling food and 
fodder, chiefly because it is more upright in 
its habit of growth and hence easier to 
harvest and, besides, it is less tough in the stems. . , , , 

Some authorities recommend the use of spring vetch in the place of 
cowpeas especiallv in the northern states where the pea-louse has be£n 
very destructive. It is sown in early spring and under favorable con- 
ditions it is ready to harvest before the first of July. 




62 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



SOIL REQUIRE- 
MENTS OF 
COMMON VETCH 



Like alfalfa, clover, and other legvmies, common vetch prefers a 
well drained soil, it will not thrive in badly drained land. While 

excellent crops are grown both on sandy and 
gravelly soils, it does best in loams or sandy 
loams. 

The seed bed for common vetch should be 
made firm. In "Washington and Oregon the 
common practice is to broadcast the seed in 
oat or wheat stubble and go over it with an 
ordinary disk harrow, or where the land is fairly loose the seed is 
simply sown in the stubble with a disk drill. This method brings good 
results especially if the previous small-grain crop has been spring-sown 
and if the vetch is sown quite early in the fall. If, however, the pre- 
vious grain crop was fall-sown and the vetch is planted rather late in 
the fall, the land usually becomes too compact and should be deep 
plowed and thoroughly worked. -Common vetch is often planted in 
corn at the last cultivation or it may be drilled into potato ground 
without plowing if the potatoes have been well cared for and the soil is 
worked up fresh after the potatoes are removed. 

In the South common vetch demands that more attention be paid to 
its seed bed. As is necessary, more or less, with all legumes, particu- 
larly alfalfa and clover, the soil should be finely pulverized. For 
spring grown vetches fall plowing should be the rule. For fall sown 
vetches it will depend somewhat on the preceding crop. The ideal 
condition is a clean, firm, moist, well-settled soil. AVhere following a 
hoed crop such as early potatoes it is enough to disk the ground deeply 
and then smooth it with a harrow. Following a cereal, the land should 
be plowed some time before seeding, especially if the weather be dry, 
and then to enable it to gather and hold moisture the land should be 
rolled and harrowed. 

In Oregon and Washington many dairymen use common vetch for 
pasturage during winter, spring and early summer. It is eaten eagerly 

by all farm live stock. As a general rule, 

the vetch is pastured only when the ground 

is dry, not only to avoid packing the soil, but 

because both cattle and sheep are liable to 

bloat on vetch, especially in wet weather. 

The vetches are much relished by all classes of live stock; in fact 

there are but few kinds of food that are equally suitable for the animals 

of the farm. Their fattening properties are of a very high order while 

for milk production they can scarcely be beaten. 

Vetch and oats make an excellent forage, being very palatable and 




VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS 



63 



highly digestible when in the best stage for feeding. This crop may 
be put into the silo and the silage, while a little richer than corn, will 
give about the same results. 

Legumes, however, should never be put in the silo alone. They 
should be mixed with some other crop. Any plant very rich in protein 
develops a very strong and somewhat objectionable odor, and great 
care must be taken in the feeding or there is danger of the milk be- 
coming tainted. For this reason it is best that the silage contain a 
mixture in order to counteract this unpleasant feature. 

The hay of the common vetch is remarkably nutritious, as much so 
as clover and is relished even more ; but it is easily injured by rain 
Avhen being cured. 

As a soiling food common vetch is also very suitable and is equally 
adapted to horses, cows, sheep and swine. 

Common vetch may be sown either broadcast or by drilling. The 
old. perhaps the most common, method is to broadcast it although the 

use of the drill is increasing every j-ear, es- 
pecially in Oregon. It is plain that drilling 
is more economical, it saves seed, and some 
growers claim that it lessens winterkilling 
by favoring the deeper rooting of the plant, 
so that there is less injury from frost heav- 
ing. 



METHOD 
OF SOWING 
COMMON VETCH 



Common vetch may be sown alone or with one of the small grains 
as a supporting crop. AYhere the crop is grown chiefly for hay it is 

the common practice 
to sow the vetch 
with grain so that its 
weak stems may be 
supported and kept 
from lodging. The 
favorite combination 
is oats and vetch 
though wheat, rye 
nnd barley may be 
used. As stated be- 
fore, oats are pre- 
ii'rred because it is 
easier to separate 
them from the vetch 
seed. Oats that have 
stiff straws are pre- 
ferred, such as Gray 
Winter and Black 
K u s s i a n. W h e n 
grown for seed, 
vetch is often 
planted alone. Vetch 
seed should be sown 
about the same depth 
as cereals. 

Common Vetch aiul Barley at Louisiana State Exp. Statiou. 




TIME OF 
SOWING 
COMMON VETCH 



64 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

The common spring vetch should be sown for forage just as soon 
as the ground is dry enough to be worked without injury. The com- 
mon winter vetch ought to be sown long 
enough before winter to let it get firmly 
established before severe frosts set in. 

In western Oregon and western Wash- 
ington vetch is seeded in September and 
October, with the tendency to plant in the 
earlier month to reduce damage by winter- 
killing. 
Some dairy farmers plant vetch at various dates so as to use it as a 
soiling crop. Sown with oats about October 1, it is ready to feed about 
the first of May ; planted later, it can be cut about the first of June ; 
and if early spring sowing is practiced, say in February or March, the 
vetch can be fed from June 15 to July 15. AVhen cut early for soiling, 
a small second crop may be cut or used as pasture. 

In Southern California, when used for green-manuring purposes^ 
common vetch is sown in September, so that it can be plowed under by 
March. 

In the East vetches are used extensively for orchard cover crops, 
being sown at time of last cultivation. For this purpose, however, the 
vetch most commonly used is the hairy vetch. 

I have already given the reader some figures regarding the amount 
of common vetch seed to sow under stated conditions, but I'll set them 

all down here so that at any time he may 
have a definite place to turn and look for 
them. 

In Oregon when common vetch is sown 
alone 1% to 2 bushels of seed are used per 
acre. If with oats, 60 lbs. of vetch and 40 
lbs. of oats are most commonly planted in 
the valley lands ; in the foothills it varies from 30 lbs. of vetch and 20 
lbs. of oats to 60 lbs. of vetch and 40 lbs. of oats. 

Some growers plant as high as 2 bushels of vetch to the acre when 
grown for seed alone. Such thick plantings are apt to stand up better^ 
but it is doubtful if they result in any material gain. 

In California, when common vetch is planted as a green-manure 
crop, the usual rate of seeding is 60 lbs. to the acre, but as low as 40 
lbs. are often used. 

In the South the amount of vetch seed sown per acre is less than on 
the Pacific Coast, probably on account of the higher price. The aver- 
age amount is about 45 lbs., or 3 pecks, to the acre. Sown with oats^ 
about 40 lbs. of vetch and 8 to 10 lbs. of oats are sown to the acre. 



RATE OF 
SEEDING 
COMMON VETCH 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



65 




Cutting Vetch with Mower. Cut Swath Thrown on Uncut Vetch. 



HARVESTING 
FOR HAY 



For hay, vetch should be cut from the period of full bloom to forma- 
tion of the first pods. It may be cut with an ordinary mower with a 

swather attachment. After cutting, the 
vetch should be bunched with a horserake 
and then shocked with pitchforks. This 
liandling should be done before the vetch 
leaves are dry. It should be allowed to cure 
in the shocks several days, and where pos- 
sible, hay caps should be used, especially if rainy weather is feared. 
It is sometimes well to pasture fall-sown vetch in the spring so 
as to bring the haying season somewhat later and also to prevent heavy 
lodging. This is frequently done in western Washington and Oregon. 
As already stated, both common and hairy vetch shatter their seed 
badly, for the reason that when the pods become ripe they pop open 

easily. This, in part, accounts for the low 
yield of seed. If the seed is to be saved it 
is necessary to handle these crops with ex- 
treme care. 

As a rule it is best to cut vetch for seed 
just as soon as the lower pods are ripe, at 
which time the upper pods will be fully formed and the plant will be 



HARVESTING 
FOR SEED 



66 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS'' 

carrying its maximum quantity of seed. If it is cut later than this 
more seed is likelj^ to shatter, while earlier cuttings will result iu con- 
siderable immature seed. 

Some growers use an ordinary grain binder, especially if the vetch 
stands up well or when it is grown with a supporting crop, such as 
oats. When thus harvested, the crop is put in shocks similar to gr.xin 
shocks and allowed to remain until threshed. 

Wlien the cured vines, or bundles, are hauled to the stack or 
threshing machine, tight-bottomed beds are used so as to catch the 
seed that shatters. In threshing, the. concaves are removed, the cylin- 
der is run at slow speed and as much wind used as possible to clean 
the seed. 

Perhaps the most common way of harvesting vetch is to use an 
ordinary mower with a swather attachment. The swather, which is 
attached to and behind the sickle bar, rolls the vetch in a swath. AYhat- 
ever method is used in cutting, it is very important to handle the crop 
rapidly and as little as possible after it is cut. 

Common vetch is nearly always grown in rotation. In Oregon and 
Washington it is usually grown after spring-sown oats. It is also used 

in rotation with potatoes and corn. 

In the Savannah River bottom near 
Augusta, the most famous vetch-groAving 
section in the South, the crop is mostly 
grown in rotation with Johnson grass, es- 
pecially on valley lands where the Johnson 
grass volunteers. Vetch hay has a fine repu- 
tation at Augusta where it sells at top prices for horse feed. The 
vetch, usually mixed with oats or other small grain, is planted, in 
October and harvested by the middle of May. After the vetch crop is 
removed, the Johnson grass, more or less mixed with other grasses, 
begins to grow and commonly yields two hay cuttings during the sea- 
son. The vetch improves the groAvth of the grass, helps keep down 
w^eeds, and at the same time makes a fair cutting of very fine hay. 

AVhere Johnson grass does not permanently occupy the land it is 
not advisable to sow it, as it is extremely difficult to eradicate. In this 
ease various summer crops can be grown in the rotation, such as 
sorghum, cowpeas, sorghum and cowpeas, soy beans, etc. 

As a rule, the vetches should not be sown in rotation with wheat, 
as they tend to volunteer and their seed is very difficult to separate 
from wheat. If grown in rotation with wheat they should not be al- 



COMMON VETCH 

IN 
ROTATION 



VETCH: "THE K I X G OF SOIL BUILDERS" 67 

lowed to mature their seed, but where this is done the vetch should be 
followed by a cultivated crop before wheat is again planted. 



OTHER IMPORTANT VETCHES 



Woolly-Podded Vetch 

Both in appearance and in agricultural value the woolly-podded 
vetch closely resembles hairy vetch. It is equally hardy and much 
earlier, maturing even earlier than common vetch. It differs from 
hairy vetch in having nearly smooth leaves, purple flowers, and hairy 
pods. Its flowers are very fragrant and attract bees in great numbers. 

In California and western Oregon this legume often shoWs a stronger 
growth during the cool w^eather of. early winter than the common or 
hairy vetch, but not so strong as the purple or black-bitter vetch. 
When inoculated it succeeds splendidly and on account of its earliness 
and good seed-bearing qualities it has some advantages over hairy 
vetch. It stands trampling well and for sowing without irrigation in 
deciduous orchards it may be of special value. Except that a little 
less seed may be used it is handled the same as common vetch. 

Scarlet Vetch 

This plant is the most erect growing of the annual slender-stemmed 
vetches. While it usually withstands the winters of the Pacific Coast 
and the Cotton States, it is even less hardy than the common vetch. 

It is a rare thing for scarlet vetch to produce seed in large 
quantities; furthermore its pods shatter very easily, so that the seed 
is comparatively expensive. , 

Like the other vetches, it is drought resistant and from spring sow- 
ings has succeeded better in the semiarid regions than any other vetch 
except the purple. 



Purple Vetch 



This legume, often called black-purple vetch, is a smooth annual 
with dark purple flowers. Its seed habits are excellent and it can be 
grown as cheaply as common vetch although it is not so hardy. 



68 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

On the Pacific coast and in the South this species has proved very- 
promising. In the semiarid regions larger yields have resulted from 
spring plantings than from any other vetch. 

The time and manner of seeding this crop are much the same as 
with common vetch. As the seed is a little smaller, however, a smaller 
quantity may be used. To insure profitable returns the seed should be 
well inoculated. 



Black Bitter Vetch 



This legume is forging to the front as a green-manure crop, more 
particularly in California. This is because of its upright growth which 
gives it a big advantage over most other vetches and its superior 
growth during the cool weather of early winter. 

Its seeding habits are also better than those of other vetches. Its 
pods shatter but very little, which makes the harvesting of the seed 
much easier. 

It has still another advantage over the common vetch in that its 
fibrous roots penetrate deeper. On the other hand it is not so readily 
eaten by live stock and it requires a slightly greater quantity of seed 
when planted. From 60 to 70 pounds per acre is recommended. Aside 
from this, the crop is handled like common vetch. When inoculated^ 
it produces splendid crops. It is predicted that under California con- 
ditions it will in time replace other green-manure crops to a great 
extent. 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 69 



A REVIEW OF MAIN POINTS 



THINGS TO REMEMBER 

PREPARATION OF THE SOIL 

(1) If plowed at a season of the year when the loss of moisture is apt to 
be a set-back for the new seeding, go on and drag the field as soon as possible 
after plowing to form a surface mulch that will prevent excessive evaporation 
of moisture. If harrowed immediately following the plowing then the soil will 
be able to hold literally tons of moisture which would otherwise escape. Thus 
moisture supply for growing crops will be abundant throughout the entire 
season, even through droughts, meaning in many cases the difference between 
success and failure. 

(2) After considerable quantities of fresh organic matter have been 
plowed under, the moisture conserved by frequent harrowing will hasten the 
decay of such organic matter and hasten its change into soil humus. The fur- 
ther effect of harrowing will be to improve the ventilation of the soil, thus 
contributing also to the conditions favorable to a quick decomposition of the 
vegetable growth and its final breaking down into desirable humus. 

(3) Provide a well settled, firmed, or compacted seed bed. This is done 
first by permitting time to elapse between plowing and seeding; second, by 
constantly working the field with disk, harrow and roller. 

(4) Provide a seed-bed that will be free of weeds. 

(5) By harrowing the field quickly after plowing and working it contin- 
ually secure a moist condition of soil, hastening germination and favoring 
young growing crops during possible periods of drought. 

(6) If following a clean culture crop a well settled seed-bed and well cul- 
tivated soil is provided already; therefore do not plow such a field. Disking 
and harrowing will in this case usually properly prepare for a vetch seeding. 

(7) Likewise the preparation of the soil, when vetch or other legumes are 
Bowed between the rows of hoe crops after the last cultivation, is in every way 
favorable and usually preferable to that ordinarily provided for vetch seeding. 

. (8) In laying out the field plan for a check plat to be seeded with unin- 
oculated seed for comparison with the main field which is inoculated with 
"NITRAGIN." 

SEED 

(1) The best seed is the cheapest seed. Buy reliable seed. 

(2) Several weeks in advance of seeding procure samples of seed from 
the seed house of which you expect to purchase seed and have samples tested 
at the Experiment Station of your own state or by the United States Depart- 
ment of Agriculture at Washington, D. C, or — 

(3) Make a home-germinating test whenever possible. 

(4) Estimate impurities in the sample. 

(5) Determine percentage of germination. 

(6) Do not buy old seed. 

(7) Purchase "NITRAGIN" and inoculate seed before sowing on fields 
where vetch has never been grown or on fields that have not raised the crop 
for some years, or on fields that have failed to give profitable yields. Re- 
member first to prepare the soil and treat it in the right way to make a suit- 
able home for the germs freshly stocked in the soil by means of the "NITRA- 
GIN" culture applied to and sown with the seed. 



70 VETCH: "THE K I IS' G OF SOI L BUILDERS" 

(8) Order "NITRAGIN" for the variety or varieties of vetch which you 
intend to sow^ and for the acreage to be sown. 

(9) Since "NITRAGIN" is a laboratory product and is always supplied 
fresh, your order should be booked well in advance of seeding time. 

(10) Remember "NITRAGIN" germs, as now prepared, are guaranteed to 
be virulent and effective for six months from date of shipment, thorough tests 
having proved conclusively that the germs are effective in producing inocula- 
tion several months after they are put in the "NT^TRAGIN" cans. 

(11) Purchasers of "NITRAGIN" will find a book containing full direc- 
tions for care and use of Ihe inoculation material "NITRAGIN" with each and 
every shipment of same. 

(12) In determining what variety of vetch seed to buy consider well what 
kind will be most profitable as a crop on your land. Carefully read the require- 
ments peculiar to each variety as discussed in this book before purchasing 
seed. 

(13) Seed of hairy vetch is often adulterated, especially with that of com- 
mon vetch and of wild vetches, and weed seeds are frequently present. Care- 
ful examination with the aid of the descriptions in this booklet will help 
enable anyone to determine whether the seed is pure. 

SEEDING 

(1) The time of seeding and amount of seed depend on the variety used, 
the geographical situation, and what use is to be made of the crop. 

(2) Vetch may be sown alone or with one of the small grains as a sup- 
porting crop, and is frequently sown with crimson clover. 

(3) The depth at which seed is planted depends on the nature of the soil. 
It is planted deeper in sandy or loose, light soils or soils where depth is re- 
quired to insure sufficient moisture for germination. 

(4) In loose, light soils it is advisable to roll the ground well both before 
and after seeding to secure a seed-bed sufficiently firm to insure a close contact 
of soil with seed. Rolling also has the further desirable result of increasing 
the water-holding capacity of such soils. Following the last operation of roll- 
ing the ground it is well to lightly harrow the surface to lessen the action 
of the wind and loss of moisture through evaporation. 

(5) To rid fields of troublesome weeds, clip high so as to cut off the heads 
of the weeds. Rake these up if extremely heavy; if not, leave on the ground 
as a mulch. 

10 SOIL DON'TS. 

(1) Don't hesitate to grow vetch because it is comparatively a new crop. 
Give it a trial, either as a forage or fertilizing crop. 

(2) Don't think that crop rotation alone will build up your soil. It needs' 
the helpful bountiful assistance of a hardy, vigorous legume like hairy vetch. 

(3) Don't forget that farm values are based on soil fertility. When you 
put more fertility in your soil you are putting more money in your till. Hairy 
vetch fills the bill in a-bil-i-ty and it fills the till in fer-til-i-ty. 

(4) Don't forget that the cash value of your farm depends on how, when,, 
and what you feed it. 

(5) Don't forget that the best farmer is he who most economically puts 
back into the soil each year more fertility than his growing crops remove. 

(6) Don't forget to forget how the pioneer farmer farmed. Think only 
of the way your soil must be fed and farmed today. 

(7) Don't forget that it is money thrown away to use commercial fertilizer 
oa soils lacking in organic matter. 

(8) Don't forget that it takes plant food to grow weeds; kill the weeds. 

(9) Don't forget that soil-building is the most vital problem of the century. 
(10) Don't forget that hairy vetch makes the best soil-building material. 

10 VETCH SEED DON'TS. 

(1) Don't try to save money by purchasing cheap seed. 

(2) Don't trust to luck for getting the best seed. Buy from a firm such 
as Galloway Brothers-Bowman Co., Waterloo, Iowa, U. S. A., known to handle 
only pure unadulterated seed. 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 71 

(3) Don't put any stock in seed offered on the markel as "inoculated" 
seed. Inoculation by such a method cannot be fairly claimed as reliable. 

(4) Don't take chances by sowing seed on water-soaked land, on land that 
is poorly drained, or on the snow in spring. 

(5) Don't throw money away by seeding vetch on newly plowed land, no 
matter how carefully prepared; give it time to settle. 

(6) Don't plant vetch on soils new to the crop without first inoculating 
the seed with fresh "NITRAGIN" culture prepared for the variety and for the 
acreage which you intend to sow. 

(7) Don't plant vetch seed on soils that have not raised the crop for 
several seasons without using "MTRAGIN" to supply a fresh stock of germs. 

(8) Don't plant vetch on very sour land. If the field is found to be very 
acid, see that it is well limed a few weeks previous to the planting. 

(9) When using "NlTRAGIN"-treated seed don't allow the seed to be 
exposed to the sun's rays after they are treated, for intense light kills the 
germs; therefore, sow "NITRAGIN"-treated seed and preferably with a drill. 
If broadcasted or sown with a seeder this should be done early in the morning 
or late in the evening, or else on a cloudy day, in a mist, or in a drizzling rain. 
The harrowing following the seeding should be done before the sun comes out. 

(10) Don't spread disease or the seeds of noxious weeds by attempting to 
inoculate your soil by means of soil transferred from old fields where fungus 
diseases are sure to abound. 

10 CROP DON'TS. 

(1) Don't forget that when vetch is spring-sown for seed it is best to 
pasture the crop the first season. 

(2) Don't fail to exercise care in pasturing vetch crops. Prevent too close 
pasturing in the early spring and likewise avoid this in the late fall, else the 
crop may not have the protection it needs in the winter. 

(3) Don't try to cut vetch hay during rainy seasons when it cannot be 
properly cured. Rather take the risk of having it over-ripe. If provided with 
suitable equipment another plan is to cut the crop and use it green for en- 
silage. 

(4) Don't think that the sun's rays are necessary to cure hay. The cir- 
culation of air is the curing agent. More damage than benefit is caused by 
the sun, since the leaves are usually burned, preventing evaporation of 
moisture and causing them to shatter, whereas if they are shade-cured a large 
percentage of them can be saved, thus making a hay of the highest quality. 
Shade-curing is facilitated by using hay caps. 

(5) Don't overlook the high protein content of vetch or fail to make the 
right use of it in the ration, whether fed as pasture, ensilage or as hay. 

(G) Don't forget that, pound for pound, vetch hay as a ration for live 
stock is very nearly equal in nutrient value to wheat bran. It is palatable and 
digestible and live stock eat it greedily. 

(7) Don't forget that inoculated vetch contains about 50 pounds of nitro- 
gen per ton while the average farm manure contains 10 pounds of nitrogen 
per ton. 

(8) Don't forget that plowing under 21/^ tons of vetch provides as much 
nitrogen as would be added to the soil by applying 12% tons of barn manure. 

(9) Don't forget that organic matter is the life of the soil: that the pro- 
ductive power of your land is proportionate to the amount of organic matter 
in it. 

(10) Don't forget that when looking for building material with which to 
increase the fertility of your soil you should not only get the right lumber but 
you should employ the right carpenter. There is only one thorough, capable 
carpenter and that is Nature, herself. It was she who built up all rich, virgin 
soils, and she is the only restorer of worn-out lands. She, alone, can trans- 
form infertile sandy land into rich productive soil. Give her good building 
material — and there is no better than inoculated hairy vetch — and she will pro- 
vide all the tools and do the greater part of all the work. She will build up 
and strengthen your thin hungry soil and fill it with the kind of humus that 
makes big, bumper crops. 



72 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 




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74 VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 

Pure Unadulterated Seeds 

Good, Pure Seeds Make Good, Thrifty Crops- 
Poor Seeds Ma-ke Poor, Sickly Crops— 
Dea-d, Worthless Seeds MaLke No Crops at all 

The Galloway Brothers-Bowman Company are Importers, Breeders and 
Growers of Pure Unadulterated Farm, Garden and Flower Seeds of all 
kinds and varieties. 

We handle only the very best Seeds — Seeds that are true to name and of 
high germination. 

Legume Seeds, Especially, Should Be Pure 

Alfalfa, the clovers and other legume crops form tne backbone of modern 
agriculture. 

Inoculated legume seeds are the Keystone to accessful, Profitable farming. 

Poor, adulterated, weed-infested legume seeds, or seeds of any kind are 
worse than no seeds at all. - 

Pure Legume Seeds Our Specialty 

We specialize on legume seeds. See list of legumes on page 73. 

Send for Our Bi^ Seed Catalog 

Don't for goodness sake be careless about buying seeds for your farm or 
garden. Buy from those who attach a greater interest to modern, profitable 
farming than they do to the "Commercial" side of the seed business. 

Galloway Bros.-Bowmaiv Co. 

WATERLOO. IOWA. U. S. A. 

P. S.— It is best, always, to place your orders for Seeds and for "NITRAGIN" as far in advance 
of *he seeding season as possible. There always hare been, and probably always will be, men 
whoput off buying their seeds until the last minute. Some of these slow ones are sure to be 
disappointed. Don't delay. Get our seed catalosr and make out your order Now. Send It to us 
so we can reserve what you need. You can pay for the seeds later— but order NOW. 

Be Sure That Your Seeds are Pure, Unadulterated and 
True to Name. Order From Us — and Order Now 



VETCH: '-THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



75 



What Others Say About "Nitragin" 

Nothing is so convincing of the merits of any product as the unbiased 
testimony of those who have used the product in question. On this and the fol- 
lowing pages are published some of the many interesting letters and reports 
from users of "NITRAGIN," as well as reports from Agricultural Experiment 
Stations. These show how this imported soil inoc\ilator has benefited others 
— and how it will enable you to get bigger and better crops, at the same time 
making your land more fertile. In the files of our office there are many more 
letters that are as interesting and convincing. The letters and reports that 
follow are necessarily shortened in order to save space, but the facts are not 
changed in the least. We invite you to write to any of these parties for their 
opinion of "NITRAGIN". The original letters are on file in our office where 
you may inspect them any time you wish. 



REPORTS FROM AGRICULTURAL, 
EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 

Delaware Agricultural Experiment Station. 

"Replying to your letter of recent date in 
regard to our success with your cultures 
for treating certain leguminous plants will 
say that as far as we have tried them, the 
cultures are successful. The serradella was 
not sown until August as we find, for most 
legumes, that fall seeding is much better. 
-The soy bean and vetch were, well sup- 
plied with nodules and I feel sure that the 
inoculating material is satisfactory. 
Yours very truly. 

• A. E. GRANTHAM. 

Agronomist. 
Delaware College, Newark, Del. 
Nov. 26, 1912." 

Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 
Bulletin No 87. 

"Inoculation with 'NITRAGIN' greatly 
increased the yields of hairy vetch, Canada 
peas and crimson clover, as compared with 
untreated plants. The increase in weight, 
after drying the plants, was as follows : 
Hairy vetch, increased 89 per c«nt; Canada 
field peas, increased 1.38 per cent ; crimson 
clover (young plants), increased 146 per 
cent." 

New Hampshire College of Agriculture, 
Durhanx, N. H., November, 1911. 

"Results of the 'NITRAGIN' culture you 
sent us last spring — alfalfa — good catch 
secured — cowpeas and soy beans — inocu- 
lated showed gains over those not inocu- 
lated.— (Signed) F. W. TAYLOR, Director." 
New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Sta- 
tion Bulletin No. 326. 

"The weights of dry matter in the inocu- 
lated crops (alfalfa) amjilv demonstrated 
the culture of 'NITRAGIN' employed for 
inoculation was very satisfactory for the 
purpose for which it was intended." (Al- 
falfa yield increase due to "NITRAGIN" 
was 500 per cent. Beans increased 75 per 
cent. Lima beans and cowpeas more than 
doubled.) 

Agricultural Experiment Station of the 
University of Kentucky, Oct. 1, 1909 

"Results with the sample of 'NITRAGIN" 
sent us last spring indicate that there was 
an increase in the number of nodules, due 
to Inoculation, and in soil deficient in nitro- 
gen this would mean an increase In the 
nitrogen left in the soil by the plants. — 
(Signed) H. GARMAN. Entomologist and 
Botanist." 



Three Recent Reports from Agricultural 
Colleges in the South. 

"Last winter I nut 'NITRAGIN" on some 
alfalfa as a top dressing, after the alfalfa 
had come up. In spite of the fact that the 
winter was minsuall.\ severe the alfalfa 
was very much lionofited by this top dress- 
ing. The alfalfft ,iust beyond where I made 
application receiveil no inoculation what- 
ever, and at present is practically dead. 
Yours truly, 

F. G. TARBOX, Jr.. 
Asst. in Agriculture. 
Clemson College. S. C. 
.7. N. Harper. Director. 
.Tuly 23. 1912." 

"Your letter of the 8th inst. received. We 
inoculated the velvet beans and the cow- 
peas on May 16th. and planted the follow- 
ing day. Nodule formation is taking place 
nicely "and causing a far better growtb 
than' those that were not thus treated. 

Sincerely yours, 

F. H. CARDOZO, Director. 
Agricultural College. 
Tallahassee, Fla., July 15, 1912." 

BY JACOB G. LIPMAN, 

Director of the New Jersey Agricultural 
College Experiment Station. 

In his latest work published in 1911, en- 
titled "Bacteria in Relation to Country 
Life." page 229. Mr. Lipman says : "A 
gradual improvement has been made in the 
character of artificial cultures and has led. 
within the last two or three years, to very 
gratifvinsr returns from their use in Ger- 
many." The so-called new "NITRAGIN" is 
restoring the confidence in artificial cul- 
ture. Extensive experiments with such 
cultures, conducted throughout Germany, 
and especial! v Bavaria have yielded very 
promising results within the last three 
years. A positive increase from Inoculation 
has been obtained, not only on soils that 
have never borne lugumes, but also on 
cultivated soils in which these crops 
(legumes) have been raised more or less 
extensively. The latter fact is of consider- 
able significance because it shows that the 
introduction of artificial culture into the 
soil may add to It not only a large number 
of organisms, but also the kind that are 
more vigorous and more efficient than those 
already present there." 



76 



VETCH. 



THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



A Few Letters From "Nitragin" Users 



I>inia Beans — Red and Crimson Clover. 

I used "NITRAGIN" on an acre of Lima 
beans and it gave results equal to what 
600 or 800 lbs. of bone or 300 lbs. of ni- 
trate of soda would have done and is first- 
class for beans. I intend to use it next 
year. I also used "NITRAGIN" on clover 
with splendid results and think it first- 
class for legume crops. 

Yours very truly, 

JOHN F. LBED. 
Waterford, N. J., Dec. 12, 1912. 



Crimson Clover. 

I used "NITRAGIN" according to direc- 
tions with little confidence, but after tak- 
ing particular notice of the clover after 
coming up, knowing that it was planted 
on land that was naturally a poor clover 
soil and in a very poor state of fertility, 
I find that my clo.ver is far superior to 
any clover crop in my section, even those 
that planted on old clover lots. The re- 
sults are astonishing to all who have seen 
my clover. • 

Yours very truly, 

W. T. STANCELL. 
Margarettsville, N. C, Dec. 13, 1912. 

Peas — Alfalfa — Hairy Vetch. 

I used "NITRAGIN" in April on peas 
<peas and oats), of which I had a large 
crop. 

The alfalfa and hairy vetch seeded in 
August made a splendid growth. Before 
frost alfalfa was 18 inches high, vetches 
are thick and green. I am highly pleased 
with success I have. 

Yours very truly. 

LOUIS GIROUARD. 
Manville, R. I., Dec. 13, 1912. 



Alfalfa. 

I desire to state that the results derived 
from the use of your alfalfa culture are 
perfectly satisfactory. I had no difliculty 
whatever in obtaining a good stand and 
the plants have a particularly thrifty ap- 
pearance. 

Heretofore I have been rather skeptical 
as to the use of any commercial culture, 
but I am satisfied that yours is particu- 
larly effective. Shall want more in August. 
Yours very truly. 

GUS A. BUNTE. 
Quincy, 111., Dec. 14, 1912. 



Canada Peas. 

I planted the peas with oats and had 
very good luck. A neighbor planted some 
just across the road from mine. He put 
fertilizer on his while I had nothing on 
mine but "NITRAGIN" and mine was far 
better than his. His peas did not have 
any nodules on the roots and mine had 
bunches of it. I am going to get more 
"NITRAGIN" this year. I think it is a 
good thing and I am going to do the best 
I can to get my neighbors to use it. 
Yours very truly, 

HOWARD F. WHITE. 
North Leverett, Mass., Dec. 29, 1912. 



Winter Vetch — Canada Peas — Alfalfa. 

I used "NITRAGIN" on alfalfa sown 
August 1st. Got a fine stand with lots of 
nodules on the roots. My Canada neas 
treated with "NITRAGIN" did well with a 
number of nodules on the roots. The win- 
ter vetch were loaded with nodules on the 
roots where treated, whil© th© test patch 
not treated had none. In short I think 
"NITRAGIN" a success. 

Wishing you the compliments of the 
season, I am. 

Yours very truly, 

J. V. McCULLEY. 
Rayland, O , R. F. D., Dec. 31, 1912. 



Alfalfa — Alsike Clover — Garden Peas and 
Beans. 

Regarding the results I got from the 
use of "NITRAGIN", will say that it 
worked wonderfully on the alfalfa, alsike 
clover, garden beans and garden peas. I 
harvested a crop of 87 bu. of green peas 
which sold at $2.00 and $2.50 per bu. at 
the Grand Rapids market. It certainly 
pays market gardeners to use "NITRA- 
GIN." 

Yours verv truly, 

JOHN VAN SCHIE. 
Grand Rapids, Mich., Dec. 11, 1912. 

Cowpeas. 

At the request of your Mr. Davis, I am 
writing to tell you the success I have this 
season with the "NITRAGIN" I used to 
inoculate my cowpeas. On May 15th I 
seeded to cowpeas. planting some in a fair 
clay soil which had been limed and man- 
ured, sowing 100 lbs. of seed to the acre. 

The cowpeas inoculated with "NITRA- 
GIN" are much ranker and sturdier in 
growth and have a richer, darker green 
color than the uninoculated and the cow- 
pea itself is much larger. Upon digging 
up several plants, with a spade. I found 
that upon the roots of the inoculated 
plants there were nodule formations in 
great abundance: where as on the roots of 
the untreated plants there were few nod- 
ules, if any. I estimate that the yield of 
my inoculated cowpeas to be at least 200 
per cent greater than that of the uninocu- 
lated. The "NITRAGIN" treated and un- 
treated peas were sown at the same time 
on soil prepared under similar conditions. 
That you may note the remarkable con- 
trast between the treated and untreated 
peas. I am sending you a few plants each 
of the respective crops. I called in several 
of the neighbors and surrounding farmers 
to see the great contrast in color and 
growth and all were greatly surprised to 
see the difference and stated that they were 
going to try "NITRAGIN". 

D. M. WALKER. 
Spray, N. C, Sept. 20, 1912. 

Garden Peas. 

Two years ago, 1909. I purchased from 
your firm some "NITRAGIN" which I used 
for peas, and I certainly harvested an un- 
usually large crop. Last year I did not 



VETCH: ''THE KING OF 801 L BUILDERS" 



77 



use "NITRAGIX" anil had no crop at all, 
so I think I better have some this year. 
Enclosed please find order. 

Respectfully yours, 

WM. EIPLER. 
Altoona, Pa., Feb. 18, 1912. 

Alfalfa. 

We sowed five acres to alfalfa about 
May 15th, treated seed with 'NITRAGIN" 
and have a good stand. We also sowed 
five acres adjoining, seed not treated, and 
the stand is about CO per cent as good as 
that where treated with "NITRAGIN." 
Yours very truly, 
PLAINVIEW STOCK FARM. 
Redfield, S. Da., Dec. 10, 1912. 

Field Peas — Serradella. 

I sent you specimens of peas inoculated 
and uninoculated which you thought 
showed a I'emarkable contrast, and indeed 
they did. 

Regarding- serradella, I sowed four acres 
as a catch crop to plow under. After oats 
were harvested it came along good and 
now stands green under the snow. Made 
a test of Vi acre with serradella. Sowed 
seed May 10th. About July 8 or 10 I ran 
mowing machine over it lightly to cut 
weeds which had sprung up. Serradella 
at that time was about four or five inches 
iu height, had about one ton of green fod- 
der. In forepart of September I com- 
menced to cut again to feed thirty dairy 
cows and that % acre lasted 14 days to 
feed 12 cows twice a day. 

A neighbor of mine wants tea acres of 
red clover "NITRAGIN" for spring seed- 
ing and I myself want a lot of it. 
Yours very truly, 
ANDREW M. CHRISTENSEN. 
Norwich, N. Y., R. F. D., Dec. 11, 1912. 

Alfaffa. 

I am well pleased with "NITRAGIN"'. 
I sowed some alfalfa two years ago and 
inoculated the ground with dirt from an 
old alfalfa field, but that did not suit me 
very well ; there were yellow spots all over 
the field. But not so with last year's crop. 
Where I used "NITRAGIN" it was the 
nicest alfalfa field I ever saw, so I must 
say I am well pleased with it. 
Yours very truly, 

CHAS. OHLFEST. 
Valparaiso, lud., Dec. 9, 1912. 

Ked Clover — Garden Peas and Beans. 

The red clover I treated with "NITRA- 
GIN" did fine. They started early and 
grew right along when we cut the oats, 
which were very heavy crop. One could 
hardly see the oat stubble upon the clover 
and it grew right along until frost, the 
best piece I have seen by all odds. 

The garden peas and beans grew to a 
high state of perfection in productiveness, 
size and quality. I took the lead at the 
Chautauqua market. The neighbors all 
came with baskets for a mess of green 
peas and beans and pronounced them sim- 
ply grand. I pulled up some roots which 
were a sight to see, completely covered 
with nodules 

Yours very truly. 

ROBERT HEWES. 
Mayville, N. Y.. R. F. D., Dec. 10, 1912. 



Alfalfa. 

Alfalfa never has proven a success iu 
this vicinity. I sowed one acre July 20th, 
1912, with no nurse crop, using "NITRA- 
GIN" and 1,500 lbs. of lime per acre. The 
result was thoroughly amazing. When 
frost came we had a stand of 12 to 15 
inches of healthy plants, thick as it could 
stand. I expect to sow four acres next 
year. 

Yours very truly, 

DR. G. E. SYLVESTER. 
Black River, N. Y., Dec. 11, 1912. 



I am very well satisfied with results of 
"NITRAGIN" which I used for my can- 
ning peas last spring. It was easy enough 
to tell where I used it and where I did 
not, as I had much better growth and 
heavier pods -where the "NITRAGIN" was 
applied. 

Yours very truly, 

W. S. MATTESON. 
Waterville, N. Y., Dec. 6, 1912. 



Alfalfa. 

Your "NITRAGIN" has worked wonders 
for me. On the 10th of August, 1912, I 
seeded ten acres to alfalfa, treating seed 
with "NITRAGIN". This was the first I 
had ever sowed, in fact the first ever sowed 
in this section. The piece of land was not 
cropped, but thoroughly worked all sum- 
mer. I also used 1,000 lbs. of raw lime 
rock per acre. I have the finest catch I 
ever saw and had it not been for a severe 
freeze early in October it would have blos- 
somed this fall. It has a very healthy 
color, and after washing roots I find that 
each one contains a laige cluster of nod- 
ules. Will order more in the spring. 
Yours very truly, 

W. E. MASON. 
Oriskany Falls, N. Y., Dec. 14, 1912. 

Serradella — Peas — Clover — Alfalfa. 

Referring to your inquiry of Oct. 24th as 
to the success of my experiment in sowing 
serradella, I am glad to report that it was 
very satisfactory. It was sowed in May 
on an acre of winter wheat when the wheat 
was about six inches above the ground. It 
was harrowed in by a. smoothing harrow 
without injuring the wheat, which was 
cut green for feed for cows. Very hot, dry 
weather followed and the serradella was 
seriously affected by it. but later, with 
ahuudant rains, it started up, vigorously 
and grew until late in September when it 
was about two feet high and was cut for 
hav. We thought it would make about a 
ton and a half per acre, but long abundant 
rains followed and not sun enough to cure 
for hav so late in the season. So it was 
fed to 'the cows as green forage. It was 
relished by the cows who yielded abund- 
antly and as well as when fed on peas and 
oats, which had been their accustomed for- 
age during the summer. We watched them 
with interest and frequently dug up plants 
and in every instance found the roots well 
covered with nodules like bunches of 
grapes. They must have left a large 
amount of nitrogen in the soil for the ben- 
efit of next year's crop. 



78 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



I have also found "NITRAGIN" to be 
successful in growing large crops of peas, 
closer and alfalfa. The alfalfa, sowed 
early in August, covers the ground all over 
and is from one to two feet high at this 
time and will. I believe, protect the roots 
during the winter and if so yield heavy 
crop next season on ten acres or more. 

The soil on my farms is a heavy clay 
loam, no fertilizer other than marl was 
used with the serradella. I have named 
one of my Guernsey heifers "Serradella" 
and hope she will turn out as well as my 
"NITRAGIN"-growing plants. 
Yours very truly. 

EDWARD R. ANDREWS. 
Elm- Leigh Farm. 
Putney, Vt., Oct. 29, 1912 



Alfalfa. 

I have a field of alfalfa on which I used 
your "NITRAGIN", which is a very nice 
stand of alfalfa. I cut it two times this 
year. There are a number of farmers in 
mv neighborhood that have been watching 
my field to see what your "NITRAGIN" 
would do for it, and now wish to send 
and order "NITRAGIN" another spring. 
I will also send for more myself. 
Yours very truly. 

LEWIS CORNUE. 
Fabius, N. Y., Dec. 18, 1912. 

Soy Beans. 

I treated IV, bu. of soy beans with the 
two cans of "NITRAGIN" on the day it 
was received and sowed them on one and 
a half acres of ground. This was about 
July 10th. The ground was clover meadow 
plowed after the hay was cut. I did not 
sow any without the cultures this time 
But did two years ago with the result of 
at least 18 inches growth in favor of the 
"NITRAGIN"-treated seed, which made an 
average growth of 2iA feet. The soys did 
not seed very well and we cut over two 
tons of hay from the piece about October 
first. The roots examined showed an 
abundance of nitrogen nodules. I am ex- 
pecting better corn on that part of the 
field on which they grew, next season. 
Yours very truly. 

W. B. LEE. 
Rochester, Ohio, Dec. 11, 1912. 

Red Clover. 

I tried "NITRAGIN" on clover which 
was sowed in fall wheat, and although the 
ground was relatively poor as it had been 
overworked and not properly nourished, 1 
got as beautiful a stand of clover as I 
have seen any^^■here in this part of the 
country. I had sowed a small strip of 
untreated seed for trial and could notice 
a very marked difference between the 
treated and untreated clovers. 

With best wishes for a prosperous New 
Year, I am. 

Very truly yours. 

J. M. CALKINS. 
Town Line, N. Y., Erie County, Dec. 20, 

1912. 



Alfalfa. 

I have been using soil inoculation In 
trying to raise alfalfa and clover for ten 
or twelve years and will say that it has 
been rather discouraging. 



The "NITRAGIN" that I bought last 
spring I used as per directions about June 
16th and have a very fine stand with plenty 
of nodules on the roots. I am pleased with 
the looks of the crop and the outlook is 
more favorable than ever before. 
Yours very truly, 

B. R. KNAPP. 
Cortland, N. Y., Dec. 25, 1912. 



Red Clovei^-Alfalfa. 

I have three acres of "NITRAGIN"- 
treated red clover and it is a very good 
stand. No man could be able to make a 
catch with this clover any better even if 
he had a machine to do so. 

As for my three acres of alfalfa, I could 
not wish it to be any better Of course 
we had a wet summer for it, still there are 
some farmers that have a very poor catch 
and some with no catch at all. 
Yours very truly, 

WALTER SPRANGERS. 
Royaltou, Wis., Dec. 10, 1912. 



Soy Beans — Alfalfa. 

I believe "NITRAGIN" is alright. My 
soy beans came doing fine and were just 
as full as they could be from the ground 
to the top. In fact so full I could not cut 
them with a machine. I had to pull them 
up root and branch. Had I cut them I 
would have wasted twice as many as would 
seed the ground as the stalks were so full 
the branches lay to the ground. I believe 
if I had a machine to plant them just right 
there would have been 35 to 40 bu. per 
acre and of the best quality. The alfalfa 
looks flue. 

Yours very truly. 

T. C HATCHER. 
Westerville. Ohio, Dec. 12, 1912. 



Alfalfa. 

By using your "NITRAGIN" we have a 
good stand of alfalfa. 
It is the best investment we ever made. 
Yours very truly, 

GUSTAV JORDAN. 
Flanders, N. J., Dec. 16, 1912. 



Crimson Clover. 

The crimson clover seed I sowed, after 
inoculating with "NITRAGIN", looks good 
and I can see the value of it. 
Yours very truly, 

KARL B. BIESELIN. 
Elwood, N. J, Dec. 28, 1912. 

Alfalfa. 

Last year I sowed two acres of alfalfa 
on soil well manured, but not inoculated. 
It made a splendid start, but no nodules 
fotmed on the roots. This past season 
(August) I plowed one-half up and re- 
seeded ; also tried another piece of three 
acres, using "NITRAGIN" as per instruc- 
tions. In each case nodules began to form 
by the time the alfalfa was three inches 
high. I am convinced that the use of "NI- 
RTAGIN " is no "theory," and if conditions 
in the spring should bear out my present 
opinion, I should say that a person was 
very short-sighted who would try to raise 



VETCH: "THE KING OF SOIL BUILDERS" 



79 



any of the legumes withom some form of 
commercial inoculation. 

For the past two years I have read 
everything available on the subject of al- 
falfa and find more real information in 
your alfalfa book than from all other 
sources. If the clover book is anything 
like it, I sure would be pleased to have 
a copy. 

Yours very truly, 

F. D. WEBSTER. 
Supt. Brookslde Farm. 
Armonk, N. Y , Dec. 12, 1912. 



Cowpeas. 

The "NITRAGIN" was used by my son 
on cowpeas in Marion County, Texas. I 
have asked him to write you. stating re- 
sults. I know the vines and fruit were 
much heavier where "NITRAGIN" was 
used than where it was not. 

Yours very truly, 

R. O. ELSEA. 
Columbia, Ohio, Dec. 7, 1912. 



Canada Peas — Red Clover — Alfalfa. 

During the year I have used your "NI- 
TRAGIN" on the seeds of red clover, Can- 
ada peas and alfalfa. Had good catches 
of clover and peas, they grew finely and I 
have examined the roots of each and find 
that they were covered with the much de- 
sired nodules. 

The alfalfa was sown in the latter part 
of August. It grew nicely and on Nov. 1 
was over one foot high. I have also ex- 
amined the roots of the alfalfa and find 
them covered with the nodules, too. Al- 
falfa has not been grown in our neighbor- 
hood. 

Yours very truly, 

F. J. HANNAH. 
New Brighton, Pr., Jan. 4, 1913. 



Canada Peas. 

Regarding my success with "NITRAGIN" 
will say that I am at a loss to express my 
satisfaction. I planted the inoculated Can-- 
ada peas with oats on new land just 
slashed and burned over. Some had prac- 
tically no lime, some had a moderate ap- 
plication and on some the lime lay heavy. 
The soil was light, sandy loam, high and 
well drained and rather dry, but we had 
lots of rain for the West this year. Most 
of the seed was inoculated — a little was 
not — I also planted one strip without oats. 
I cut for hay about 50 days from planting. 
There was no way 1o tell how much it 
made, but the growth ran from about nine 
inches where the seed was inoculated on 
unlimed land, to seven feet high where land 
was moderately limed and seed inoculated, 
peas grown alone. The average height of 
treated peas was about five feet for both 
peas and oats. The average where not 
treated was about two feet. Am enclosing 
an average root dried. Will never plant 
again without "NITRAGIN". 

Respectfully yours, 

GEO. F. HATCH. 
Rathdrum. Idaho, Sept. 23, 1912. 



Field Peas. 

Yours of the 5tli instant acknowledging 
receipt of two specimens of field peas at 
hand. Your request of sending you more 
specimens of both treated and untreated 
plants, will say that I cut down the field 
of peas August 2nd and so am unable to 
send you nice whole plants, but some were 
left which the mower went over. I will 
send you some of these. Yes. sir, the 
contrast is great and the plants I send you 
this time are simply grand. The whole 
field is full of bacteria everywhere. Next 
spring I shall use a larger amount of 
"NITRAGIN" as I am planning to go over 
my land with legume plants as fast as 
possible after seeing the results "NITRA- 
GIN" brought this year. 

The peas sowed May 10th yielded a good 
crop of green fodder July 10th. These 
plants sent you were dug August 1st. 
Yours v^ery truly. 
ANDREW M. CHRISTENSEN. 
Norwich, N. Y., Aug. 12. 1912. 



Canada Peas. 

I think you have my report on page 10 
of your booklet of testimonials. Will state 
further, however, that I showed roots in- 
oculated with "NITRAGIN" to the profes- 
sors assembled at Farmers' Institute, one 
of whom made a specialty of the business, 
another was President McLean, of the 
Idaho State University. They all agreed 
that they had never seen such development 
before. I told them it came from the "NI- 
TRAGIN" Co. 

Yours verv truly, 

GEO. F. HATCH. 
Rathdrum, Idaho, Dec. 13, 1912. 



Cowpeas. 

I purchased enough of your "NITRA- 
GIN" to inoculate ten acres of cowpeas. I 
sowed them only for a fertilizer and will 
say they made a wonderful growth. I 
drilled them in the corn on ground that 
was inclined to be thin, but the peas made 
a wonderful growth, and am well pleased 
with the results obtained from same. This 
same ground will be sown in oats next 
spring. I shall then note the condition of 
the soil. 

Yours very truly, 

F. I^. JOHNSON. 
New Augusta. Ind., Dec. 13, 1912. 



Serradella. 

I sowed the serradella as directed. I 
got a fine stand and the roots show au 
abundant supply of nodule formations. 

I think farmers will soon find out the 
necessity of using "NITRAGIN". 
Yours verv truly, 

L. D. GALE. 
Sherman, N. Y., Dec. 10, 1912. 



Alfalfa. 

I used your "NITRAGIN" for alfalfa 
and found it all you claimed it to be. 
Yours very truly, 

O. M. BISHOP. 
Athens, Pa., Dec. 26, 1912. 



APR 23 1913 



INDEX 



Page. 

Acidity 30 

Alfalfa 24, 25, 35, 39 

Alkali 6 

Alsike Clover 30 

Barley 63 

Bacteria 21. 34, 37 

Beans 73 

Bitter Vetch 68 

Black Bitter Vetcb 68 

Books, List of Inside of Front Cover 

Catch Crop 41 

Clover 25, 47, 52 

Corn 32, 41 

Cotton 53 

Cover Crops 41. 42 

Cowpeas . . ; 22, 44, 53 

Crimson Clover 30, 44 

Curing Vetch Hay 65, 71 

Distribution 6, 61 

Drainage 6 

Drought 26 

Feed, Chief Uses as 10 

Feed. Spring Pasture 10 

Feed, Ensilage 11 

Feed, Soiling 11 

Feed, Hav 11 

Feeding Value 9, 12 

Fertilitv 23, 50 

Fertilizers 18, 70 

Galloway 40, 70 

Germs (see Bacteria) 

Germany 37 

Grass 66 

Green Manuring 17, 60 

Hay 11 

Hay, Harvesting for 65 

Hellriegel 33, 34 

Hiltner 36 

Humus 16, 17, 18, 22 

Inoculation Defined 21, 45 

Inoculation 29, 33 

Investnlent 37 

Laboratory 70 

Land, Worn Out 26 

Land, Sandy 27 

Legumes 16, 18, 19 

Letters 75-6-7-8-9 

Liming 30, 31, 71 

Leaching 50. 51 

Manure, Baruiyard 17, 30 

Moisture 26. 28 

Mulches 29 

"NITRAGIN" 33, 37, 38, 40, 72 

"NITRAGIN" where purchased 40, 73 

Nitrogen 16, 18. 24 

Nodules 21, 25, 34 

Nobbe 36 

Nurse Crops 7 



Page. 

Oats 60, 62-3 

Orchards 42, 43, 44, 45 

Organic Matter 16, 17, 30 

Pasture 10, 71 

Peas 24 

Phosphorus 26, 51 

Plant-foods 30-52 

Plowing 28 

Potash 2f6, 51 

Potatoes 41, 55 

Precautions 69-71 

Preparation of Soil 7 

Protein 14 

Pure Culture 36 

Purple Vetch 67, 69 

Red Clover 21, 24 

Review of Main Points 69 

Rotation 54, 66 

Roughage 9 

Rye 29, 46 

Sandy Soils 27,28,32,51,52 

Scarlet Vetch 24, 67 

Seed 69 

Seed, Adulteration of 69 

Seed Bed 7, 62, 69 

Seed, Galloway Bros.-BowmanCo 74 

Seed, Germination of 69 

Seed, Growing for Home Use 7 

Seed, Harvesting for 65 

Seeding 64, 70 

Serradella 19, 73 

Silage 11, 63 

Soil 16, 42 

Soil Fertility ■ 18 

Soil Renovators 19 

Soil Transfer 35 

Soiling 11, 63 

Sowing, Common Vetch 62-3-4 

Sowing. Hairy Vetch 7, 30 

Soy Beans ..'. 22 

Sweet Clover 73 

Toxins 1& 

Ventilation 71 

Vetch— 

The Chief 5.57 

Seed Bed for 7 

" Soils Adapted to 6 

In "Orchards 42-45 

On Tobacco Lands 46-7-8-9 

In Corn 50 

For Potatoes 51 

For Cotton 53 

" Fertilizing Value of 9 

" For Sandy Soils 27 8, 32, 51, 55 

For Worn-Out Lands 26 

Washing of Soil 42 

Weeds 28 

Wheat 11, 55, 66 

White Clover 24 

Winter Killing 47, 63 

Woolly-Podded Vetch 67 



CANNON PRINTING CO. 
MILWAUKEE 



HOW AND WHERE TO BUY 
The Improved German So3 Inoculator, Nobbe-H3tner Process 




Restores and Maintains Soil Fertility 



GALLOWAY Bl{OS.-BOWMA\ CO.. sole distributor, United States and Canada. 
"NITRACilN" is shipped to all parts of the United States and Canada at the uniform 
price Of $2.00 per acre. 

WHAT "NITRACIN" DOES FOR VKTCH IT WILL DO FOR OTHER 
LEQUME CROPS 

But each legume has its particular strain of bacteria. When ordering specify the 
legume for which yoa wish to use'MTKAt.l \. 
MTI;A(; I N' is prepared for eacli of the following legume crops: 



Alfalfa 
Red Clover 
Mammoth Clover 
Alsike Clover 
Crimson Clover 
Sweet Clover 
Japan Clover 
Berseem Clover 
Florida Clover 
Yellow Clover 
Yellow Suckling Clover 
Seaside Clover 
White Clover 
White Dutch Clover 



Burr Clover 

Serradella 

Sainfoin 

Fenugreek 

Yellow Lupins 

White Lupins 

Blue Lupins 

Canada Peas 

Field Peas (all kinds) 

Garden Peas (all kinds) 

Chick Peas 

Kweet Peas 

Field Beans (all kinds) 

Garden Beans (all kinds) 



Horse Beans 
Lima Beans 
Navy Beans 
Velvet Beans 
Oow Peas 
Soy Beans 
Common Vetch 
Hairy Vetch 
Black Bitter Vetch 
Wolly Podded Vetch 
Scarlet Vetch 
Purple Vetch 
Peanuts 



If you expect to plant any of the above crops you need "NITRAGIN" to insure a 
"catch," to increase the yield and to enrich your land. 

NON-LEQUMINOUS CHOPS 

Do notorder"NITRAGTN" for non-leguminous crops, such as corn, oats, rye, wheat, 
cotton, potatoes, orchards, small fruit, etc-, but, 

DO NOT FORaET THAT 

These non-leguminous plants are indirectly benefited by'-NITKAcIN.' AU crops 
must have an abundance of humus and nitrogen in the soil, and the way to make sure of 
adding these necessities is to plant 'XITRAfilN' treated legumes such as clover, serra- 
della, vetch, etc., either In rotation, as cover crops, or for green manuring. 

DO NOT TEAR OUT THIS ORDER BLANK 

When orderiBg, copy this form on a piece of paper, simply filling in the kind and quantity 
of NITRAGIN wanted. 

ORDER BLANK 

Date 

'JalUnvau Bntt.-Botoman Co., Waterloo, lovM, U. S. A.. 
Gtentlemen: 

Enclosed find exchange fori for which please send me 

, NITRAGIN" for acres of (Name of crop) 

.NITRAGIN" for acres of (Name of crop) 

NITRAGIN"for acresof (Nameofcrop) 

Ship by charges collect, to 

(Express, Freight) 
Name 



.State. 



P. O. Box or R. F. D. No. 



Town. 

Nearest Express Office . 

On whatR. R 

Prie* of "NITRACIN" $2.00 per acre. 

If you want the 'NITRAGIN" sent by mall, add 10c per acre to prepay postage. 




"Feed the soil and the soil will feed you.' 

— Anon, 



"Pure-bred bacteria for specific work are as 
clearly an economic necessity as pure bred 
cattle or pure-bred sugar beets." (U. S. Dept. 
of Agr. Bureau of Plant Industry. Bulletin 
296.) 



"How long will it take farmers to realize that 
there is an inexhaustible store of nitrogen 
over every acre they cultivate, only waiting 
for the man who will use his brains to get it 
without hauling it in a sack from a supply 
company and going in debt for it?" (Editor 
of the Progressive Farmer— In issue Feb, 2, 
1912) 



